Stagecoach: Industrial action averted after drivers accept pay offer

Unite bus drivers accepted a 10% pay offer

A threatened strike by hundreds of bus drivers in east London has been averted after they accepted a new pay offer.

More than 900 members of the Unite union employed by the Stagecoach group were preparing to vote on action.

The union said an improved pay offer of 10% had been accepted in a ballot.

It follows similar deals for other bus drivers, with London United drivers securing a 10% pay rise, Arriva drivers receiving 11% and Go-Ahead workers having a 10.5% increase, Unite said.

Its general secretary, Sharon Graham, said the Stagecoach deal was an "important victory".

"When the employers recognised the determination of our members, they returned to the negotiating table and made a greatly improved pay offer.

"This latest pay deal in London buses underlines how Unite's ferocious determination to always prioritise the jobs, pay and conditions of its members is delivering financial dividends."

A spokesperson for Stagecoach London said: "We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Unite, which covers our drivers in east London.

"Across the country, we have been working constructively with our trade unions to agree fair pay deals which help our people with the cost of living challenges, reflect local market conditions and also protect the long-term sustainability of the bus network."

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