Press Release: October 18, 2016

18 October 2016 | W.E.U Admin | News

TAGS: News, Statement

The Workers of England Union launched its More Time, More Toilets campaign to ensure that Bus Drivers have appropriate toilet facilities. As part of this initiative, we:

Opened a government petition.
Contacted key organisations to highlight how dire the current provisions are.
Raised these concerns on national radio.

Background to the Campaign

The lack of reliable toilet facilities for Bus Drivers has long been an issue. Closing public toilets over the past nine years has only made matters worse. Through targeted pressure and clear evidence of the problem, the Workers of England Union ensured this topic stayed in the public eye.

Mayor of London’s Response

One of our key contacts was the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. We are pleased to report that our persistence has paid off. In his official reply, Mr. Khan:

Recognises the routes across London that require enhanced toilet provision.
Commits to working with transport operators to improve facilities.

The Workers of England Union thanks the London Mayor for taking our concerns seriously. However, we must keep up the pressure until every driver can access clean, safe toilets on their routes.

Statement by Stephen Morris, General Secretary

“Let’s be clear that it has been the Workers of England Union and its members who have driven this campaign. While the Labour Mayor is also working with Unite, it’s worth noting that Unite first raised this issue in 2007 and then dropped it. Nine years of closed public toilets have only intensified the problem. We’re pleased to see Unite re-engaging on this matter, albeit with a little help from our Union and Mr. Khan.”