Go North East: Indefinite strike continues as pay talks fail

Staff have been picketing outside the company's depot in Sunderland

Hundreds of bus drivers and workers could strike until April at the earliest as the latest talks failed.

Go North East (GNE) and union Unite were unable to reach a pay deal to halt the continuous strike action, which began on 28 October.

Staff will vote on extending their legal protections against dismissal for a further three months.

Unite said its message was "very clear". GNE said it had made its "best ever offer" to the union.

About 1,300 workers have walked out from all six of GNE's depots in Sunderland, Washington, Gateshead, Hexham, Percy Main and Consett.

The firm has been unable to operate many of its routes, but last week began "skeleton" services driven by non-striking staff, office workers and managers.

The union has informed GNE of its plans to ballot staff on further industrial action beyond January, which is when the original legal protection will expire.

Suzanne Reid, from Unite, said there were getting "no resolve" with Go North East's management team

"We've been trying since July to get this resolved with the management to no avail," said Suzanne Reid, Unite's coordinating officer for Tyne and Wear.

"People are suffering, members and the community, but it's all in the hands of the local and regional management. I can't stress enough, we don't want this dispute to continue.

"My message is very clear: give us a fair deal that members can accept and get your buses back on the road, serving the community and giving us the support that's needed. A fair deal is what we want."

The union has claimed workers are being paid significantly less than colleagues at Go North West (GNW), which is owned by the same parent company Go Ahead.

What have workers been offered?

The majority of workers are currently paid about £12.83 per hour, while workers at GNW in Greater Manchester are paid between £14 and £15.53, depending on their depot.

Different depots across both companies have different agreed conditions, including both longer paid meal breaks and shorter working hours between breaks at GNE.

Unite the Union started a pay claim against GNE in June, when it asked for a 13.2% rise (made up of 11.2% to keep up with inflation plus a further 2%) over a one-year period. This would have taken pay rates up to £14.52.

However, GNE issued a counter-offer which was a 9.11% rise in the first year, followed by an "above-inflation" rise next year - this would have involved adopting GNW working conditions, including a reduction in paid meal breaks and longer working hours between breaks. This was refused by Unite.

The union then requested an 11.2% rise taking pay up to £14.26, but again over a one year period, and with no changes to conditions, which was turned down by GNE.

GNE's latest offer is again over two years and includes a 10.3% rise in the first year, followed by an "above-inflation" rise next year, taking pay up to £14.15 per hour but with no changes to conditions. This was rejected by drivers and staff in October, which led to the indefinite strike action.

GNE managing director Nigel Featham said the continued strikes were having a "devastating effect on everybody" and said he was committed to finding a resolution.

Speaking to BBC Look North, he said the company was unable to match pay rates at GNW without implementing their working conditions too.

Nigel Featham runs both Go North East and Go North West

"We've offered that to drivers in the North East and they've given us a very firm response that they don't want to shift their conditions," he said.

"The strike is having a devastating effect on everybody, it's bad news for the drivers but particularly bad news for the public and our responsibility is to put on the table the very best offer we can."

Mr Featham said Unite had asked for "three things": an "inflation-busting" pay rise, to "match the best rates in the North East" and to keep the same working conditions.

"We've delivered on each one of those and we're baffled why it hasn't resolved it," he said.

He added that it was "imperative for the travelling public" for all parties to "find a fair and resolution to this".