Bus strikes to continue into February, says union

Bus drivers and engineers in Cambridge will continue strike action into February, says Unite the Union.

About 200 workers at Stagecoach East in the city took industrial action over the Christmas period and into January, in a dispute over pay.

Darren Roe, the managing director of Stagecoach East, says he has been notified by the union that strikes will be extended into February. He said the firm "continues to regret" the action taken.

Mark Plumb, the regional representative of Unite the Union, said drivers in Cambridge were "providing vital bus services", adding that "strikes will not end until an acceptable offer is put forward".

The union said staff would continue industrial action on 26, 28 and 30 January, and 9, 11 and 13 February.

Members are already scheduled to walk out on Saturday.

Pay talks between the company and the union started in September, alongside talks with depot teams in Fenstanton, Peterborough and Cambridge.

Stagecoach said that over the past three years, Cambridge employees had received pay increases of 20%, despite inflation averaging at under 14% for the same period.

In an open letter, Roe said that, "despite a number of meetings", the company was "unable to meet" the union's pay mandate of a 9% increase.

He said the pay rise was "unreasonable" and that industrial action was "hurting" customers and members.

The union said drivers in Cambridge were paid £16.22 per hour, compared to £18 for staff in Manchester - and £17.43 in Liverpool.

"The disruption caused to passengers is entirely the fault of Stagecoach," Plumb said.

"Strikes will not end until an acceptable offer is put forward."

Roe said earlier this month that he had implemented a pay rise of 4% for the Cambridge team from 28 December, in line with increases already given to other depots.

On the days of industrial action, Stagecoach said it would now be running 90% of its fleet, with a full park and ride service, operated by 70 per cent of its own drivers.

During strike action on 5 January, a spokesperson for Stagecoach said it had loaned 27 drivers as members walked out, with staff travelling from Scotland and Wales to cover.

Roe said some staff had agreed to return to work and urged customers to check services before they travel.

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