Bus drivers consider striking over pay deal

The ballot for strike action closes on 19 November

Hundreds of bus drivers and engineers in a county have been considering whether to strike after rejecting a new pay deal.

The Unite union said the 350 Stagecoach employees in Cambridgeshire were paid £15.60 an hour and the proposed deal did "not reflect the rising cost of living and the demands of the job".

The ballot for strike action closes on 19 November and Unite said if it went ahead it would "severely impact" services in the run up to Christmas.

A spokesperson for Stagecoach said both sides were continuing to talk and the company was intending to come to an agreement.

The union said the drivers and engineers, based in Cambridge, Peterborough and Fenstanton, were offered a two-year pay deal of 4% increase in year one and 3% in year two.

Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, said: "Stagecoach makes huge profits and can absolutely afford to table an improved pay offer – this is what needs to happen.

"Unite backs Stagecoach's Cambridgeshire workforce 100% in their demands for a fair pay rise."

Stagecoach's services in Cambridgeshire include the guided busway, which links St Ives, Huntingdon and Cambridge.

Darren Roe, the managing director of Stagecoach East, said: "We are aware that Unite are asking their members if they wish to take part in industrial action.

"We are committed to offering good pay packages for our people. We believe our rates of pay, terms and conditions remain at the top end of the local market for bus drivers, and we are always open for talks with Unite.

However, at the same time, we must think about the future of the bus network and the implications that higher pay demands have on our loyal customers."