Leeds First Bus drivers to strike over pay rise dates

First West Yorkshire drivers will walk out indefinitely from Sunday

Bus drivers in Leeds are to go on strike in a row over when their annual pay rise takes place.

Some 800 Unite members from First West Yorkshire will walk out indefinitely from Sunday, the union said, affecting dozens of routes.

Workers agreed to change the pay date from April to October to help the firm financially during the pandemic.

First has agreed to change the date back in 2025, but Unite said it would leave drivers "struggling".

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: "When First West Yorkshire needed its drivers to dig deep for the company, they did.

"Not only did they put their and their families' health on the line by continuing to drive First buses, they also agreed to delay getting a pay rise."

Ms Graham said First had taken advantage of this "sacrifice" to keep drivers' wages down as inflation "rocketed".

The union said delays in reverting to an April pay date would see workers "left struggling during the cost-of-living crisis" and would mean they might not get a pay increase until October.

The workers are based out of First's two Leeds depots.

'Generous offer'

Andrew Cullen, managing director for First North and West Yorkshire, said the company was "very disappointed and dismayed" by the strike action.

He said it had made a "generous pay offer" of 12%, which would be implemented between now and next April .

Mr Cullen said that would have helped drivers to "manage the cost of living as quickly as possible".

He said the current agreement on pay, which was signed by Unite and its officials, had been agreed until October 2023.

The pay date was changed during Covid "in order to safeguard jobs and to enable us to offer an enhanced sick pay scheme during the pandemic", he added.

"As part of our discussions, we listened to Unite's request to return the anniversary date to April and as part of the offer we agreed to do this and therefore the next pay review date would be April 2025."

He said the action would cause "severe disruption" to customers who rely on the bus service.

"We are making plans to determine the extent of bus services we will be able to operate from Sunday 18 June."

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