Guernsey bus drivers stage one-day strike

Bus drivers in Guernsey have walked out on a one-day strike.

Members of the Unite union are expected to follow the 24-hour action by working to-rule for the rest of the week.

A driver who did not want to be named said they were taking action over "working conditions, working hours and communications with management".

Bus firm CT Plus, said the strike, which was only announced on Sunday night, was "entirely unnecessary" and services would "seriously disrupted".

It said some school routes would be operating.

Negotiating table

Bob Lanning, the regional industrial organiser for Unite, told BBC Guernsey that drivers were unhappy at being asked to work longer hours to cover staff shortages.

He said they also wanted a pay rise but the "straw which broke the camel's back" was the company's use of agency drivers from the UK to cover shifts.

He said he would encourage drivers to staff school bus services and to resume negotiations with CT Plus.

"I want to sit down as soon as possible for a discussion, let's call this off," he said.

CT Plus said: "We are disappointed that Unite have chosen to give the travelling public no notice whatsoever of industrial action, with their announcement coming at 21:15 BST on Sunday night for a strike the following morning.

"This strike is entirely unnecessary and we urge Unite to call off their action and come back to the negotiating table."

In May, bus drivers voted against taking industrial action but staff have voiced unhappiness over pay and working conditions for some time.