ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

London bus drivers were today threatening to strike during the Olympic Games in a row over a lack of bonus payments for taking on extra work.

It landed Mayor Boris Johnson with his first strike threat just six days after being re-elected. There were demands for the Mayor to get involved and sort-out the long running dispute.

Union barons are demanding £500 for each of more than 20,000 staff working for the 21 private sector bus companies.

Strikes could last for 24 or even 48 hours - either London wide or targeting specific areas. It is estimated buses will carry "at least" an extra 800,000 passengers during the Games and staff will have to cope with major and increased congestion.

Unite, the union, says bus staff are the only public transport workers not to be offered bonus payments. Tube staff are getting between £850 and several thousands pounds each for longer and changed shifts and many mainline train employees upwards of £500 each. Unite made clear that bus strikes "could take place up to and during the Games" if there is no agreement.

It has today given the legally required seven days notice to each of the 21 London bus operators that it intends to ballot for strike action. Individual ballots will take place at each company with the results next month.

The union then has to given seven days notice of any walkouts. Unite expects overwhelming endorsement for the strike call. In a pre-strike ballot to gauge support for the strikes nine out of 10 staff supported industrial action.

Unite regional secretary for London, Peter Kavanagh said:"Bus workers will be going above and beyond the call of duty to make the Olympics a success. They are the only London transport workers not getting an Olympic payment for their extra work. The first priority for London's re-elected Mayor must be to demand that bus operators agree a fair award for their workers during the Olympic games.

"If bus workers take strike action in the run up to and during the Olympics it will be because Boris Johnson and the bus companies failed in their duty to London. "Boris Johnson has sat on his hands for almost a year while the bus operators have refused to even talk to Unite about their workers' extra contribution to the Olympics.

"The red London bus is an iconic symbol for this city. Bus workers deserve recognition for helping hundreds of thousands of extra passengers during the Olympics and dealing with major congestion on London's roads." Transport for London (TfL) has overall control for the bus network but individual companies are responsible for pay.

Talks continue in the row between Tube and RMT bosses over Olympic bonus payments for thousands of station, signal and engineering staff.