Bus company confirms one week of strike action to hit Sheffield

Bus company Stagecoach confirmed last night (November 24) that strike action would take place in Sheffield from November 28 until December 4.

The strike action, which will include engineers and drivers, arose over a pay dispute, and this week Unite Union informed Stagecoach that industrial action could take place.

Phil Medlicott, Managing Director for Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: “We’re extremely sorry that the action being taken by Unite means that we are unable to run any bus services from Saturday 27 November until Friday 3 December in Barnsley, Rotherham, Dearne Valley and West Yorkshire and from Sunday 28 November until Saturday 4 December for services in Sheffield.

“We know that our employees deserve a good pay rise and we have left no stone unturned in our attempts to reach a settlement with Unite by offering employees an increase to the hourly pay rate of 4.5 per cent.

“Despite the positive and flexible approach we have taken in talks with the union, it’s very disappointing that this has progressed to strike action which is in no-body's interests.

“We remain open to continuing discussions with the union and would urge them to call off this unnecessary action which will cause untold inconvenience to local communities and will hit the pockets of our employees and their families.”

The strikes were called after Unite rejected Stagecoach’s offer of a 4.5 per cent pay rise to South Yorkshire workers, after the company agreed to rises of 6.5 per cent, 7.5 per cent and 10.5 per cent to other areas of the country.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Low pay is the scourge of the bus industry right across this country. Stagecoach made profits touching £60m last year and has £875m in the bank. Yet it cannot make a decent offer to its staff.

“Unite is pledged to fight for the jobs, pay and conditions of our members so we will be relentless in the campaign to ensure that our members at Stagecoach, in South Yorkshire, get a fair deal.”