Unite

Unite, which balloted 77, 000 workers, said there was a 3-1 vote in favour of industrial action, with just over half backing walkouts. The union said industrial action would start before Christmas although officials would not decide until later this week what form the action will take.

Members of UNISON, Unite and the GMB are being consulted on the new offer which was made after their previous "final" offer of 2.5% following the well observed industrial action.

UNISON, the largest union is recommending members reject the offer.

After the ballot closes on 12 November, Unite will have a 28-day 'window' to take action that its members have voted for.

The drivers will be out on a 24 hour strike to protest at the huge pay disparity between the 18 London bus companies.

Several sources report solid support for the action, with very few drivers crossing picket lines, many routes completely cancelled and others running only minimal services.

The 2,500 Unite members who work for Metroline voted 88.5 per cent in favour of strike action in a recent ballot by the union. Unite submitted a London wide claim to all bus operators in March of this year to challenge the current system whereby drivers (and other grades) performing identical jobs within the TfL regulated industry, receive hugely varying pay and conditions.

Following one of the UK's biggest strikes in years, when half a million council workers walked out for two days against a sub inflationary 2.45% pay offer, unions have blocked further action.

The offer is for employees on JNC pay and conditions, which includes workers in youth clubs and Connexions advisers, and was rejected by both UNISON and the youth workers' branch of Unite, the CYWU.

UNISON has launched a campaign for fair pay for youth and community workers, while the CYWU is to ballot its members for industrial action, asking:

Union members had hoped local council body Cosla would offer a new one year deal taking inflation into account. However, Cosla said increasing the pay offer in the current economic climate would result in service and job cuts. Meanwhile, hundreds of other civil and public servants voted for strike action which could cause serious disruption to the justice system.

The strike by workers at one of London's largest bus companies brought 50 routes to a standstill and a spokeswoman for the bus company said that only "very, very limited services" were running on several lines in the capital.