London bus strike halted! Walkout by 1,500 drivers suspended amid vote on new Arriva deal

Planned bus strikes across north London have been called off for now as drivers vote on a new offer from Arriva.More than 1,500 drivers at eight garages returned to strike action on Tuesday and were due to continue until the early hours of Friday, August 21.But the walkouts have been suspended while members of the Unite union vote on a new deal over working conditions.The dispute is over working conditions during hot weather, as well as allegations of bullying involving Unite members and representatives.Following talks with Arriva, Unite said it had paused the strikes to give drivers the chance to vote on the new offer.If they reject the deal, strike action is set to restart on Tuesday, August 25.Unite regional officer Steven Stockwell said: “Following talks, Arriva has made an offer to Unite members. “To allow our members to have their say on whether to accept this, we have postponed strike action so they can be balloted.”Drivers took to the picket lines last week over “oven-like” temperatures in their cabins during the summer heatwaves. Many of the current buses use air-cooling ventilation systems rather than full air conditioning which drivers say offer little relief from the sweltering temperatures inside the cab. Unite the union warns that extreme heat causes driver fatigue, dehydration, and heatstroke, risking blackouts and serious road accidents.Read MoreBefore the current pause in strike action, Unite had scheduled 26 dates stretching from mid-August into late October.If the current ballot fails, the remaining walkout dates are:• September: 4 to 5, 7 to 8, 18 to 19, and 21 to 22 • October: 2 to 3, 5 to 6, 16 to 17, and 19 to 20 Arriva has said the wellbeing of its staff and customers is its “top priority”, saying it has added extra welfare checks and cooling breaks during hot weather and is collaborating with TfL to roll out upgraded air conditioning on newer fleet buses.