Bus strikes called off after improved pay offer

Stagecoach staff in parts of the north-east of England had been set to strike in August

Bus strikes which could have caused "significant disruption" during the summer holidays have been called off, a union has said.

About 600 Unite members working at Stagecoach North East had been set to walk out on 11 and 12 August after rejecting a 3.3% pay rise offer.

But Unite official Steve Cason said following an improved pay offer, it had suspended the industrial action in order to ballot its members.

Stagecoach North East has been approached for comment.

The union said if the offer was rejected by its members, strike action which had been planned for 18 and 21 August would still go ahead.

Stagecoach previously said staff, including drivers, cleaners and engineers at Busways Travel Services, which is part of the Stagecoach group, had been offered a 3.9% pay rise.

'Deserve better'

Unite previously said figures from last year showed Stagecoach recorded a total operating profit of £51.1m - up from £33.1m - and a profit before taxation of £47.6m.

General secretary Sharon Graham said: "Stagecoach is prioritising profits over people and our hard-working members deserve better."

The hourly pay for drivers in the North East is £15.01 per hour.

Among those who had voted for strike action are 500 members based at the Slatyford and Walkergate depots in Newcastle upon Tyne, including drivers.

The majority of passenger bus services to and from Newcastle city centre operate from these depots.

More than 80 engineers and cleaners based in Newcastle, Sunderland and South Shields, had been due to take strike action at the same time.