National Express West Midlands drivers vote to strike

The bus network is one of the largest in the UK, carrying more than 1m passengers daily

A bus network's drivers who cover routes across a swathe of the region have voted to strike over pay.

More than 3,000 National Express West Midlands drivers are set to walk out from 16 March after Unite members rejected an 11.1% pay rise, according to the union.

They will be joined by about 200 engineers, who voted to strike in January.

National Express West Midlands said the action was "extremely disappointing".

It apologised to customers for the significant disruption the industrial action would cause, with a "very limited service" running on strike days.

It runs 1,600 buses on routes across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Walsall, Dudley and West Bromwich.

"The company needs to put forward an offer that our members can accept," said Unite officer Sulinder Singh.

About 96% of balloted drivers voted in favour of continuous strike action, some of whom earned £11.80 an hour, according to the union.

Unite argues the pay increase offered to drivers constitutes a real-terms pay cut amid cost-of-living pressures.

The announcement of strike action coincides with National Express reporting a tripling in annual pre-tax profits to £145.9m, up from £39.7m in 2021.

The results, which surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time since the Covid outbreak, have led to shares in the group soaring by 13%.

The operator said 60% of drivers had voted to strike based on an outdated pay offer of 8.1%, with an improved deal tipping the majority of salaries over £30,000.

"Since the ballot, we have offered the union a pay deal for drivers worth 13.4%, made up of 11.1% for 2023 and a retention payment worth 2.3%," a spokesperson said. "This is on top of 6% our drivers received in November."