Pay offer rejected by bus drivers

Drivers have voted to strike in protest at a pay freeze

Two 24-hour strikes by Leeds bus drivers in the run-up to Christmas are to go ahead after workers rejected a new pay offer.

Managers at operator First Bus said they would meet union officials to try and avert the action scheduled for 12 and 19 December.

Drivers earlier voted for a series of strikes in protest at a pay freeze.

This was put on hold pending the result of the ballot after a new pay deal was put forward by the firm.

First, which employs 1,025 drivers in Leeds, said if the industrial action went ahead it would affect an estimated 175,000 bus passengers in Leeds on each day.

Dave Alexander, managing director of First in West Yorkshire, said: "I would urge the Unite union to consider the needs of bus passengers and businesses in Leeds and to suspend planned strike action."

The company said it hoped to run a skeleton bus service on major routes in the city if the strikes go ahead.

Managers are due to meet union officials on 10 December.

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