Stagecoach East Midlands bus workers set to strike for eight days

Bus workers based in Mansfield and Worksop will walk out over eight days

Up to 200 bus workers in Nottinghamshire are set to go on strike due to a pay dispute.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) is calling on Stagecoach East Midlands to "pay their staff a decent wage".

Bus drivers, cleaners, engineers, and clerks - based in Mansfield and Worksop - will walk out over eight days.

Stagecoach East Midlands said it was committed to working with the union to agree improved terms and conditions.

The RMT union added it wanted the company to "provide good working conditions", arguing that low pay "is endemic within the bus industry".

The strikes will take place for 48 hours from 27 November and for the same period from 4, 11 and 18 December.

The RMT said bus drivers currently earned £10.93 an hour when they started the job, with it rising to £12.50 after a year's service.

It said this was "despite the fact" Stagecoach's latest financial report showed it had paid out dividends to shareholders worth £47.5m.

'Poverty pay'

The union said it was an "all grades dispute" and the strike "will cause significant disruption".

The RMT union's general secretary, Mick Lynch, said: "The huge endorsement for strike action by our Stagecoach members reflect the growing disgust amongst bus workers at being taken for granted while their pay continues to fall in real terms.

"Management need to come up with a reasonable offer that deals with the poverty pay and poor conditions in the industry."

In a statement, a spokesperson for Stagecoach East Midlands said: "We are committed to working with the trade union to agree improved terms and conditions for our staff based in Worksop and Mansfield.

"We've been in talks for some time and we're continuing to work towards an acceptable settlement, which meets aspirations and maintains the long term viability of the business."

Stagecoach East Midlands provides bus services in Gainsborough, Grimsby, Hull, Lincoln, Mansfield, Newark, Scunthorpe, Skegness, Spalding and Worksop.

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