Strikes by bus drivers in Sunderland will continue as they turn down below inflation pay offer
- Two thirds of GMB members working at Stagecoach Sunderland rejected offer
- The rise would have taken them up to £13.10 an hour which is below inflation
- The GMB union is expected to announce further strike dates over Christmas
Strikes by bus drivers in Sunderland are set to continue as they turned down a below-inflation pay offer.
The GMB union said two thirds of its members working for Stagecoach in Sunderland rejected an offer which was below the 10 per cent being demanded.
Almost 200 drivers have taken several days of strike action already.
Stagecoach North East said they would ‘leave no stone unturned’ in seeking a resolution to the strikes.
GMB official Stuart Gilhespy said: ‘Sunderland Stagecoach drivers are in desperate need of a pay rise with the cost-of-living crisis.
Strikes by bus drivers in Sunderland are set to continue as they turned down a below-inflation pay offer (file image)
‘They’ve shown bravery in declining the offer in order to hold out for what they believe they’re worth.
‘Sunderland’s drivers have seen workers in Stagecoach depots across the country receive double digit pay rises – they want and deserve the same.’
Stagecoach North East expressed disappointment that GMB members have rejected the latest pay offer.
Who is going on strike and when?
Civil servants: Around 100,000 civil servants have voted for a national strike over pay, pensions and jobs, the PCS union has announced. The dates are TBC.
Nurses: Strikes are expected to begin in early December and could take place over two dates, potentially a Tuesday and a Thursday. They could last until early May 2023.
Bus drivers: The workers will strike on November 22, 25, and 26 and on December 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17.
Rail workers: Drivers working for 12 British train operators will go on strike on November 26 in an ongoing dispute over pay
Postal workers: Take national strike action on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 November and for Wednesday 30 November and Thursday 1 December 2022.
It said the rise would have taken drivers up to £13.10 an hour with immediate effect with an additional four per cent backdated payment, and an enhanced overtime rate of £14.10 an hour.
An additional five per cent increase would have been paid in June 2023, taking their annual basic salary up to £27,000 a year, rising to around £29,000 in 2023.
In October the rate of inflation hit 11.1 per cent. The Bank of England’s target is two per cent.
The GMB union is set to work on future strike dates, which are understood to be likely over the festive period.
The new round of disputes follows an announcement yesterday that rail strikes are set to continue for another six months.
Brits could face the ‘worst ever’ Christmas for travelling home as strikes and engineering work are set to cause mayhem.
And the Sunderland Stagecoach strike is one of dozens set to cause chaos over Christmas as union bosses look to inflict maximum impact over the holidays.
Nurses, civil servants of all kinds, train and bus drivers, postal workers and even Asda workers have either agreed to strike or are considering it as Britain prepares for a ‘long winter of discontent’.
Steve Walker, managing director of Stagecoach North East, said: ‘Strike action isn’t in anybody’s interests – it is hurting our communities and badly hitting the pockets of our drivers, and we know that a growing number of our employees want to see this dispute settled and an end to the strikes.
‘We will leave no stone unturned in seeking a resolution that will bring an end to the ongoing strikes.’
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