But wait! There’s more! A secondary strike is happening at the Pine Valley Rural Transit system. That’s 14 buses total. They service three towns, a llama farm, and a haunted tree. The drivers are striking because the company banned personalized bus decorations.
One driver, Brenda, had a life-size cardboard cutout of a cat in the front seat. She called him “Co-Pilot Mittens.” Management said it was a “distraction.” Brenda said it was “essential for morale.” Now Mittens is in a strike picket line, wearing a tiny protest sign. The internet is losing its mind. #FreeMittens is trending locally.
Brenda also claims the cat cutout helped reduce passenger anxiety. “People pet him before asking for transfer info,” she says. “It’s basic psychology.” We’re not sure, but we love the energy.
Are buses on strike today? Is there a bus strike in London this weekend
Funny Detail: The Llama Factor
The Pine Valley strike has an unexpected ally: a llama named Kevin. Kevin lives at the farm the buses serve. He has escaped three times this week to join the picket line. He stands silently, staring at scab drivers. It’s deeply unsettling. Management is now negotiating via llama translator. (That’s not a real job title, but it should be.)
