National Express West Midlands engineers to strike over pay

The engineers are responsible for maintaining 1,200 vehicles across the region

About 200 engineers, responsible for maintaining many of the buses in the West Midlands metropolitan region, have voted to take strike action over pay.

Unite members at National Express West Midlands voted by 93% in favour of rejecting a pay rise of 10.1%.

They could be joined by 3,000 drivers, who are also about to be balloted, having rejected an 8% rise, said Unite.

The company said it took its responsibility to run a sustainable network "very seriously".

Unite said the strikes, following an an 80% turnout, would "severely" affect services in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Coventry and West Bromwich.

The union said the 10.1% offer represented a real-terms cut, due to high inflation, while the firm made £15.8m in profits during the first half of 2022.

Financial pressures

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: "Despite its healthy profits, National Express expects the people who generated its cash stockpile to accept de-facto pay cuts.

"National Express needs to improve their unacceptable pay offer."

Dates for the industrial action are set to be announced.

A National Express West Midlands spokesperson said it had offered engineers - for whom the average salary is £37,000 - a double digit percentage pay increase.

"We understand and recognise the financial pressures on everyone, but we take our responsibility to run a sustainable network very seriously.

"When we know the strike dates, we will communicate with our customers and seek to minimise the disruption in any way we can."