With less than a month to go before the start of the Olympic Games in London, trade union Unite has called a meeting at conciliation service Acas to discuss bonuses to be paid to bus drivers. The union has called for workers who agree to work during the games to receive a bonus of £500.

Unite is arguing that other transport workers have already been guaranteed additional pay for working during the Games and that the same should go for those driving buses through the capital.

However, the bus companies are claiming that Unite has already turned down a deal which would have secured the money for drivers. Unite has called the claim irresponsible, pointing out that the bonus would have only been secured by drivers agreeing to work every day during the Olympics and the Paralympics. Spokesman for the union, Steve Turner, said that asking drivers to work every day was illegal as there are stipulations that workers take rest periods and can only drive buses for a maximum number of hours.

He went on to say that transport bosses in the capital had already insulted the 21,000 drivers who are members of Unite by telling them that they do not deserve to get the pay increase during the Games which other transport workers have already been guaranteed.

Mr Turner went on to say that with only 25 days to go before the Olympic opening ceremony it was time to come to an agreement as the union was not going to back down over the issue.