There could be severe disruption to buses in Greater Manchester as thousands of Unite members working for the ‘Bee Network’ including drivers are currently being balloted for strike action.
At Stagecoach, around 1,000 drivers based across the Oldham, Stockport and Middleton depots have rejected a pay offer of 3.5 per cent
Meanwhile 1,000 Metroline Manchester members at the following depots: Sharston, Hyde Road, Ashton and Wythenshawe are also being balloted after turning down an unsatisfactory below inflation pay offer of 3.5 per cent.
Workers at both Metroline and Stagecoach believe the offer doesn’t address years of low pay, especially in the context of the cost-of-living crisis says the Unite Union
Finally, a consultative ballot of 110 members at First bus Rochdale showed 95 per cent wanted to reject this year’s pay offer of six per cent, which does not go far enough to address the fact workers there have had years of being paid less than their counterparts at other companies.
Unite regional officer Colin Hayden said: “Should these strikes go ahead they would bring Manchester’s bus network to a standstill.
“We appreciate that residents who rely on these bus services will be disappointed to hear of potential action, but it is entirely the fault of the employers. We urge them to come back to the table with improved offers to prevent what will be a highly disruptive strike.”
