Bus strikes off as driver pay agreement reached

The industrial action was due to begin on 6 October

Strike action by 600 bus drivers has been called off after workers accepted a new pay deal.

First Bus drivers working the City Line had previously walked out from 19 to 22 September, causing mass disruption to inner-city services in Bristol.

First West of England previously would not commit to backpay - but Unite union says a deal has now been reached on an 8.6% pay increase for the last two years.

The bus company said it was "pleased to be able to continue providing regular bus services" and thanked customers for their patience.

Drivers had picketed the Lawrence Hill bus depot

The bus drivers work for the Lawrence Hill and Hengrove Bus depots, which serve Bristol city centre, Bristol Airport and Amazon's Bristol warehouse and local schools and universities.

Unite said drivers had faced below-inflation pay rises for the past three years and began calling for a fair and sustainable wage agreement.

Unused buses were left parked in their depots at Lawrence Hill and Hengrove during September's industrial action

Unite announced earlier that workers at the City Line will now get £250 non-consolidated backpay and their rest day working pay has gone up by 50p to £1.51 per hour, the union said.

Drivers will receive an increase from £16 an hour to £16.50 backdated to 1 April.

This goes up to £17 an hour backdated to 28 September, before workers have another rise to £17.40 an hour from 1 April 2025.

'A fantastic win'

In a statement, First Bus said: "The planned bus driver strikes due to take place between 6 to October in Bristol have been cancelled, following constructive pay talks which have resulted in an agreement being reached.

"This means that all our services will be running as normal throughout this period.

"We'd like to thank you for your patience and understanding while we worked with Unite the Union to resolve the dispute, and we're pleased to be able to continue providing your regular bus services."

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Bus drivers do a difficult, important job for the general public and deserve to be paid appropriately.

"This is a fantastic win for workers at First West of England, who stuck firmly together throughout the industrial action to get the pay offer they deserved. It is yet more proof that there is power in a union."