London bus drivers have once again downed tools, this time over the sheer audacity of being expected to work in temperatures that would make a sauna blush. About 1,500 members of the Unite union across north London and Essex are on a four-day strike from Tuesday to Friday, following earlier industrial action this month. Because apparently, 'it's a bit warm' wasn't cutting it as a workplace safety policy.

The strike comes after talks between Unite and bus operator Arriva North London last week produced an agreement that some drivers, perhaps those with functioning sweat glands, rejected as insufficient. The core issue: Arriva's proposal to improve air conditioning across its fleet of 730 buses might not be completed by next summer. And by 'might not', we mean the drivers have seen this movie before.

Drivers have been complaining about 'excessive in-cab heat' for years, with faulty cooling systems letting temperatures soar above 30°C. This year's record run of five heatwaves pushed things past 40°C, and there's a real fear that 2027 could bring a repeat performance. The air-cooling systems, when they work at all, manage to drop the temperature by a measly 2-3°C - enough to make you slightly less miserable, but hardly a reprieve from what is essentially a mobile greenhouse.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, never one to mince words, said: 'London bus drivers do a vital job, but are putting themselves at risk due to these appalling conditions. Arriva can fully afford to make meaningful changes our members can accept. Until that happens, strike action will continue and our members at Arriva North London will continue to have the full backing of Unite.'

Drivers at eight garages - Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham, and Wood Green - struck on 14 and 18 August, causing delays and cancellations across more than 40 bus routes. This time, drivers at three of those garages voted against Arriva's latest offer, prompting the strike to resume. The other five, apparently, are either made of sterner stuff or just really like sweating.

Arriva London, in a statement that reeks of corporate optimism, said: 'We are disappointed that this strike is going ahead when five out of eight of our north London garages have said they don't want [a strike]. We have already reached agreement with Unite officials on every demand - and we continue to seek feedback from Unite to understand what concerns remain at the three garages that voted to strike.' They added that safety is their 'highest priority' and that they've introduced measures to help drivers cope with extreme heat, while also investing in air conditioning upgrades. Because nothing says 'we care' like a temporary fan and a promise for the future.

Arriva, along with other operators and Unite, sits on Transport for London's extreme weather taskforce, which was set up to solve weather challenges. Clearly, it's working wonders. Further strikes are planned for eight occasions in September and October, because nothing says 'summer' like a good old-fashioned industrial dispute.