Yahoo News Liverpool bus strikes back on after drivers reject improved offer
Bus strikes in Liverpool are back on after drivers and workers rejected an improved pay offer.
Earlier this week, plans for a walk-out of Stagecoach drivers in the city set to take place this week were called off after talks between the company and the Unite union resulted in a new pay offer, which was recommended for acceptance by Unite.
However, it has today been confirmed that despite the union's recommendation, Stagecoach drivers have rejected the offer and strikes will now take place from Monday, June 24. More than half of those balloted said no.
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The drivers and other Stagecoach workers are now expected to take strike action for two days - on Monday, June 24 and Tuesday, June 25, with Stagecoach operating a limited service from Gillmoss depot on these dates.
Stagecoach 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. Stagecoach’s other bus depots in the area will be unaffected by industrial action and services 1/X1, X2 & 471/472 will operate into Liverpool as normal.
Stagecoach will also operate the 917 shuttle services for those attending the Pink concerts on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 June, to meet requests from the Liverpool City Region and Merseyside Police.
Details of the special timetables will be published shortly on Stagecoach’s website at www.stagecoachbus.com/regional-service-updates/merseyside-and-south-lancashire.
Stagecoach is also warning that there may be some knock-on disruption to bus services on Wednesday June 26 whilst operations return to normal.
Unite members are seeking a wage increase that better reflects the hourly pay rate of other operators in the area, but Stagecoach say that its rejected offer brought it considerably closer whilst retaining more favourable employment terms, conditions and benefits than others offered.
Matt Davies, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire said: “We have done our utmost to propose a pay deal that meet the expectations of our people whilst also being affordable for the long-term sustainability of our bus network and worked with Unite to achieve and offer that they recommended. I am sorry for the disruption that this strike will cause for our customers.
“Our improved offer was a very fair and well above-inflation pay offer. It would have given our employees a much higher percentage pay increase, at a time when inflation has fallen to 2.3% and looks set to fall further”.
Responding, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Stagecoach can fully afford to offer our members a fair pay increase and it has so far failed to do so.
“Stagecoach’s workers undertake an incredibly demanding and challenging job and must be paid fairly. Unite will be backing our members to the hilt in their fight for better pay."
Unite regional officer Brian Troake added: "Stagecoach is a major player in Merseyside buses and it must reflect that in how it pays its drivers, without whom they wouldn't have a bus service.
“Our members are unhappy with the current pay offer and will not hesitate to take further strike action if Stagecoach doesn’t make an improved offer.
“Stagecoach is set to cause real issues for the Liverpool public if it continues to under-value and under-pay its own staff."
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