24-hour strike for Leeds bus drivers over ‘pitiful’ pay offer

MORE than 1,000 bus workers employed by First Bus in Leeds are on strike today over what they call “pitiful” pay offers.

Union Unite said that the action was a ‘last resort’ citing First Bus management’s unwillingness to negotiate at conciliation service Acas.

Unite said that bus drivers are only being offered a 16p rise per hour, and 20p for next year.The union said that the bus workers in Bramley and Hunslet Park are among the lowest paid in First Bus’ Yorkshire operations.

The pay dispute comes at the same time as First Bus cuts the use of ‘bendy’ buses in Leeds, making 45 people redundant to save £1 million per year. The one day strike is scheduled to start at 02:01 on Monday 13 June.

The First Group, owners of First Bus, said that a pay deal offered last Wednesday 8 June was rejected “without the opportunity for all 1,000 drivers and customer hosts to consider”

Unite regional officer Phil Bown said: “First Bus makes massive profits from the travelling public in Leeds and the hard work of our members who keep the city on move day in, day out.

“Strike action is very much the last resort, but faced with management’s refusal to improve on its pitiful pay offer and negotiate meaningfully at Acas, our members feel forced into taking this action.

“All our members are looking for is fair treatment and recognition for their hard work. We would urge First Bus management to drop its hard line attitude which risks causing disruption for the travelling public and enter into meaningful negotiations to resolve the dispute.”

Paul Matthews, managing director of First Leeds said: I’m very disappointed tat the new pay deal negotiated with Unite has been rejected without the chance for all our staff to vote on the 1-year deal that would have provided a pay increase for our drivers of over 3%.

“The strike will cause massive disruption to tens of thousands of people across Leeds, including workers and those in education taking exams.”