Stagecoach workers plan strike action amid pay dispute
Britain’s transport union has confirmed Stagecoach bus drivers will go on strike later this month amid a dispute over pay.
The national union of transport workers, RMT, today confirmed it is serving notice for strike action on Stagecoach buses in the South West, East Midlands, Derbyshire and Yorkshire.
The strike, which will take place on October 18, is part of a wider campaign for Stagecoach bus workers to receive higher pay with further action planned by Unite union in Scotland.
Mick Lynch, General Secretary of the Union for rail, maritime and transport workers, said, “the massive votes for action by Stagecoach members reflect the growing disgust amongst bus workers at being kicked in the teeth on pay while inflation and wages elsewhere are rising steeply.”
With tensions running high between the transport company and its workers Lynch accused Stagecoach of using underhand tactics to pedal misinformation about the strikes.
“Instead of responding positively to that justified anger from their staff with a fair offer the Stagecoach operation has instead resorted to a gutter campaign of abuse against their own staff designed to provoke a public backlash and that is what is happening right now. It is a disgrace,” said Lynch.
It comes as Stagecoach faces falling passenger numbers and declining profits, with company revenue tumbling from £1.4bn to £928m in 2021 and operating profit falling by a third year-on-year to £58.4m.
In a statement, Stagecoach said, “we are committed to offering good packages for our people and, as well as protecting jobs during the pandemic, we have reached agreement on pay increases for many employees at a number of depots around the country.
“However, the RMT has continued to make unrealistic and unaffordable demands,” the transport company added, urging workers to return to talks rather than striking.
The action will target the Mansfield and Worksop depots in the Midlands, Chesterfield in Yorkshire and services around Exeter, Barnstaple, Matford, Newton Abbot and Torquay in the South West.
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