Guru

Employers up and down the country have been waiting in nervous anticipation for the first piece of large-scale industrial action from newly formed union Unite (created on 1 May 2007 from a merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G)).

Well, the waiting is over.

Guru has received advance notice that London bus workers are due to protest on Thursday 23 August at "key London transport and local government offices at the lack of toilet facilities on bus routes and in general".

A Unite official told Guru:

The campaign has taken a new turn with the capital’s bus workers threatening a full strike ballot if Transport for London (TfL) and London’s local authorities don’t act.

Some drivers have been so desperate for a toilet break they have had to relieve themselves in public places and been arrested.

The union claims its threat of industrial action raises three vital issues :

• Lack of toilets equals lack of respect for drivers and their health.

• Serious health problems arise from not being able to go to the toilet when you need to, especially bladder, kidney and prostate conditions.

• TfL says it wants to attract more women into the industry. How can it be serious about this when it cannot even provide adequate toilet facilities for staff?

The Unite spokesman concluded:

The bus workers are expected to turn out in significant numbers for a series of striking protests designed to make London’s leaders sit up and listen.

In response, Guru would like to say three things:

Firstly, shouldn't that be "sit down and listen"?

Secondly, why can't bus drivers in London do what everyone else does in town and pop into McDonalds for a McSh*t?

And thirdly, bus drivers would do well to consider their colleagues in the road haulage sector, who have been "going on the move" for decades using pee pots or disposable urinals.

Guru understands it takes a bit of practice, but just think what it could do to bus punctuality.