Striking Hull bus drivers vow to continue with industrial action

Striking Stagecoach workers on a picket line outside Hull's bus station

Striking bus workers in Hull have vowed to continue industrial action until their pay demand is met.

Stagecoach drivers in the city stopped work last week and mounted a picket line outside the city's bus station.

The Unite union said the drivers were paid less than Stagecoach staff in other parts of the UK at £11.14 per hour, and are seeking a rise to £13.

Stagecoach says it has offered a 14.5% rise over two years, which the union has rejected.

The figure of about £12.50 an hour is 50p away from the union's target.

Speaking from the picket line, Unite regional officer Harriet Eisner said the pay claim was "completely just, it's completely reasonable".

"They've had a 1% pay rise in the last three years," she said.

"They're paid less then other Stagecoach workers across the country doing the same job. In the North West they are paid £14 an hour."

Stagecoach is running a reduced service between 07:00 and 18:00

Christian, one of the picketing drivers, said: "Our cost of living has gone up while our wages haven't.

"What we're asking for now may seem a large amount but we are just trying to catch up."

He apologised to the public for the disruption, with Stagecoach running a reduced service between 07:00 and 18:00 staffed by drivers brought in from across the UK.

"We do not want to be stood outside here, we want to be back in our jobs getting a fair wage and get the people of Hull moving again," said Christian.

Stagecoach has urged the Unite union to use talks planned with conciliation service Acas for Monday to "bring an end to the unnecessary strikes causing major disruption to customers and communities to Hull".

"We are committed to giving our staff a good pay rise, which is rightly deserved," it said.

In a previous statement, the company apologised to passengers and said it had put forward a number of pay offers, which had all been rejected by Unite.

It said: "The pay deal offered would make Hull drivers the highest paid in the region. The union has so far rejected an offer of 14.5% over two years; and an improved offer of 12.2% by December 2022, delivering a £12.50 pay rate."

The industrial action is scheduled to continue until 29 December.