Go North East bus driver strike dates announced

Go North East has been urged to revise its latest pay offer

A local bus company will be hit by two weeks of industrial action when 1,300 Go North East drivers walk out next month in a pay dispute.

Bus drivers and workers will take sustained strike action from 30 September-6 October and 14-20 October.

The action, affecting all six of its depots, comes after 98% of those balloted opted for strike action.

Unite has warned there may be further strikes. Go North East says it is "dismayed" by the decision.

Workers - including office staff - at depots in Sunderland, Washington, Gateshead, Hexham, Consett and Percy Main voted to take strike action earlier this month.

The bus company had proposed to standardise some union-negotiated conditions across all depots and lock in a two-year deal.

Drivers had been offered a 9.11% increase in the first year, followed by the rate of inflation next year.

But workers said the company was trying to reduce paid meal breaks and lengthen shifts by reducing the paid time to travel between bus stations and depots, which meant they ultimately were "funding their own pay rise".

'Fight for fair pay'

"Go North East need to take a long hard look at themselves and how appallingly they've treated their workforce," said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

"Our members will have the full support of their union as they take to the picket line in their fight for a fair pay deal."

Business director Ben Maxfield said drivers had been offered an "exceptional" deal, despite the company making losses.

However, he said he was "dismayed" that the strikes are going ahead, before giving Acas-brokered talks, which can independently help all parties agree on a resolution, "a chance to succeed".

"Our drivers are important to us, and we have shown a genuine commitment to their financial security by offering the real terms pay increase they have been asking for," he said.

"It's not in our interests, or our passengers' interests, to have a strike."