Bus firm awards drivers pay rise to end strikes

Services have been affected by a series of walkouts

A bus operator in Hampshire has given drivers a 4.8% pay rise in a bid to end strike action, saying it has "fully exhausted the negotiation process".

First Bus Solent services in Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport have been affected by a series of weekend walkouts since December.

More than 140 members of the Unite union at the firm's Hoeford depot in Fareham have been involved in the strikes.

In January, Unite said drivers had voted to reject a "two-year pay deal worth 4.8% in the first year".

The bus firm's managing director, Simon Goff, said: "We know our people deserve a pay rise and they have been waiting since August last year while negotiations have taken place with Unite.

"The dispute has gone on for long enough for both colleagues and customers and we have fully exhausted the negotiation process.

"We are therefore pleased to have awarded a 4.8% pay increase to all our drivers, with effect from Sunday 23 February.

"We encourage all our people to return to work as soon as possible in the hope of bringing this dispute to an end for the sake of our community."

Unite previously said staff were being paid "barely above the minimum wage for a skilled and stressful job".