Huddersfield faces 'severe disruption' as bus drivers set to strike
Huddersfield bus passengers can expect disruption across the network as drivers walk out in a dispute over pay.
The Unite union says around 170 bus drivers in Huddersfield employed by First will strike in February and March over pay parity. This came after the drivers rejected a pay deal from First which would have seen their pay rise to £15.43 an hour from April 2025.
This pay rise would come following incremental pay increases throughout 2024. The rejection came as Unite says wages for First drivers in other parts of West Yorkshire already reached more than £15 an hour in mid-2024, as did wages for other bus companies in Huddersfield.
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Unite regional officer Darren Rushworth said: "First has no one else to blame for the disruption that will be caused to Huddersfield’s bus services but itself. It could end this dispute tomorrow by putting forward a pay deal that properly addresses the huge pay disparity these workers are suffering."
In addition, the rejected pay deal included tying the drivers into a pay agreement which would beginning in April 2024 and ending in 2026, which the union says will result in their wages lagging behind their colleagues.
The drivers will strike from February 3 to February 16 and from February 24 to March 9. The union says the action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "First is a hugely profitable company. Yet it thinks it’s ok to significantly underpay these drivers for nearly a year while also tying them into an overlong agreement that will result in wages rates sliding again. This is totally unacceptable.
"Unite will not flinch in its support of our First West Yorkshire Huddersfield members as they strike for a fair pay deal."
Megan Hope, Operations Director of First Bus North & West Yorkshire said: "The generous pay offer we made to the union of a 15.5 per cent increase is six times above current inflation and will help our drivers to manage the cost of living.
"Industrial action will be damaging to everyone and cause severe disruption to the daily lives of our customers who rely on the bus to get to work, education and for appointments.
"We will operate limited bus services, including school trips, to support our customers as best we can. Full details will be available on our website and through social media.
"We urge Unite to advise its members to accept the generous deal that is on offer and avoid industrial action."
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