South Yorkshire Stagecoach workers plan 'indefinite' strike in pay row

The Stagecoach South Yorkshire drivers are now planning to strike from early January over a pay dispute

Bus drivers in South Yorkshire are to strike "indefinitely" in the new year as part of their ongoing pay dispute, the Unite union has said.

Following the current week-long strike by Stagecoach employees, another is due to begin on 1 January in Rotherham and Barnsley and on 2 January in Sheffield.

Drivers had pledged not to strike over Christmas and new year but would then hold "all-out" action, the union said.

Stagecoach said the strikes were "unnecessary" and "benefit no-one".

Dedicated school bus services would not be affected by the strike action in term-time, Unite said.

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Over 560 bus workers were involved in the dispute with South Yorkshire's Stagecoach workers the "lowest paid in the region", according to Unite.

Drivers in Sheffield earned £10.52 an hour and those in Barnsley and Rotherham earned £10.80, but they should earn at least £11.40 an hour, the union added.

Unite said the dispute "intensified" after 95% of members refused a revised pay offer by Stagecoach and workers would now take "indefinite all-out strike action" from the new year.

Phil Bown, of Unite, said South Yorkshire members were "determined to end this pay injustice" and "menacing comments" from Stagecoach about strikes putting employees' own jobs at risk "only strengthened resolve".

Responding, Phil Medlicott, from Stagecoach Yorkshire, said the firm wanted to work with the union, but added that a solution had to reflect passenger numbers being below pre-Covid levels.

Mr Medlicott said Stagecoach had already "significantly improved" its offer and it was "extremely disappointing the union has refused to move an inch".

"[Strike action] damages the lives of local people who depend on buses to get to work and access public services and impacts local businesses struggling to recover from the pandemic, especially at this critical time of year."

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