List of buses not running today as Liverpool bus strikes continue

Bus strikes are continuing in Liverpool today with services across the city affected.

Around 500 Stagecoach drivers walked out on strike yesterday (Monday) for the first day of action in their ongoing pay dispute with the company. The second day of action is taking place today (Tuesday).

Unite union members are seeking a wage increase that better reflects the hourly pay rate of other operators in the area, but Stagecoach said it put forward an offer that brought these rates considerably closer whilst retaining more favourable employment terms, conditions and benefits than others offered.

MORE: Shouts of 'scab' as Stagecoach managers drive buses past striking workers

MORE: 'All-out' strike threat on Liverpool buses as drivers step up pay row

The strikes got off to a dramatic start on Monday. Angry workers on the picket line shouted 'scabs' at Stagecoach managers who were brought in to drive buses during the strike action.

Today is the second of potentially several days of strike action affecting Stagecoach in Liverpool. If an agreement is not reached following these two days of action, the union intends to step things up next month, with further proposed walk-outs between July 5 and 8 and between July 12 and 15. The union says this will then be escalated to an all-out continuous strike if no agreement has been reached.

Stagecoach will be operating a limited service from its Gillmoss depot on all these dates - including today. Services 10A, 14, 53, 82, 86 in Liverpool will not operate and a special timetable will operate on routes 17, 19, 20 and 21 between 6.30am – 19.30 on the strike days.

Unite regional officer Brian Troake said: “Our members have been forced into strike action by Stagecoach’s continued attempts to keep them on unfair rates of pay. Stagecoach owes the traveling public an abject apology for the disruption it will cause.“

"Further industrial action could be avoided, but that requires Stagecoach to return to the negotiating table with an offer our members can accept.”

Responding, Matt Davies, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire said: "We deeply regret the industrial action is taking place and are open to resolving this dispute and are available to hold talks at any time.

"We genuinely want to settle the dispute but the overall cost of a pay rise needs to be affordable at the depot. We’ve informed Unite of a number of ways in which we could resolve the dispute, they involve movement by both parties, and we are willing to do to that."

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