Warwickshire bus drivers set to strike in pay dispute

Drivers have rejected a pay offer, the Unite union says

Bus drivers in Warwickshire are to start open-ended strike action in a dispute over pay, a union says.

Up to 300 drivers for company Stagecoach had rejected a pay rise of 7.8% for the first year and 4.5% plus £100 for the second, Unite said.

The rise was due to start from July, which at the time would have meant a real-terms pay cut, by one measure, the union said.

Stagecoach said discussions were on-going with the union.

According to Unite, member drivers, who are paid £14 an hour and operate from depots in Nuneaton, Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon, are set to strike on 5 September for an extended period.

'Fair offer'

Stagecoach controls 87% of the bus network in Warwickshire, with routes also extending into Coventry, the union added.

• Fresh Manchester bus strikes set for bank holiday in pay row

Unite regional officer Sulinder Singh said: "The all-out strike action will inevitably cause severe disruption to bus passengers throughout Warwickshire, but this dispute is directly a result of Stagecoach's refusal to make an offer which meets our members' expectations.

"Stagecoach needs to stop prevaricating and return to the negotiating table with a fair pay offer."

In a statement, Stagecoach said it was committed to finding a fair deal and had offered a further pay increase of 12.8% on the back of an increase in basic pay of 16.3% last year.

Latest figures show annual inflation slowed to 6.8% in the year to July, down from a peak of 11.1% in October.

Stagecoach said further meetings were arranged with the union and that the firm was looking at how it could continue to operate school and college services should strike action happen.

"We hope we can agree on a fair deal for our people that will avoid the need for strike action," a spokesperson added.

"Strike action will unnecessarily affect our local communities and employees and will threaten the longer term sustainability of the local bus networks we operate today."