ALMOST 1,000 London bus workers went on strike at the weekend, disrupting services in the south and west of the capital.

Before the action on Friday and Saturday, members of Unite had already staged seven days of strikes over pay and further stoppages are planned for the same days of this week.

The workers are demanding a basic wage of £20 an hour, but Unite says that privateer Abellio has yet to propose any increase.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Abellio is a vastly wealthy multinational company that could and should be paying its workers a fair pay increase.

“With workers struggling to cope with rampant inflation, Abellio’s failure to even enter into meaningful pay talks is cold hearted and callous.

“Unite is now entirely focused on defending and enhancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and the bus drivers at Abellio will be receiving the union’s complete support.”

The drivers work from garages in Battersea, Beddington, Hayes, Southall, Twickenham and Walworth.

Abellio was invited to comment.