More than 140 drivers at First Bus Solent in Hampshire have been awarded a 4.8% pay rise.
The workers, who are based at the Hoeford depot and operate across Gosport, Fareham, Portsmouth and Southampton and are members of trade union Unite, began strike action after rejecting a previous 4% pay deal from their employer, which they stated failed to make a reasonable fair pay offer and refused to reinstate terms and conditions that were removed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
They argued that they were being paid barely above the minimum wage for a skilled and stressful job, which they felt was unfair following the announcement that First Group had nearly £5 billion in revenue in 2023 across the UK, while First Hampshire and Dorset had a turnover of nearly £37 million.
Industrial action took place on the weekends of 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 January, as well as 19-27 December. Unite stated that additional strikes are due to take place from 25-27 February, 3-7 and 10-11 March.
Simon Goff, managing director at First Bus South, said: “Our people deserve a pay rise, and they have been waiting since August last year while negotiations have taken place with Unite. After many months of negotiations, which first began in May 2024, First Bus and the Trade Union Negotiating Committee were unfortunately unable to reach a mutual agreement. This dispute went on for long enough for both staff and customers and we fully exhausted the negotiation process. Once the collective pay negotiation process has been exhausted, we are able to implement the pay increase.
“Last weekend, we awarded a 4.8% pay increase to all our drivers. This is part of a pay offer that represents a 35.9% pay increase since 2021, which is significantly ahead of inflation.The implementation of this pay deal in no way interferes with our ongoing collective bargaining arrangements with Unite on pay. We encourage Unite to call off the industrial action so we can give our people their back pay, and hopefully agree our proposed further 3% pay rise from August 2025.”
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, added: “First Group is making millions of pounds of profit across the UK on public transport yet is treating its workers and the communities they serve in Hampshire with disdain. To pay barely above the minimum wage for a skilled and high-pressure job is unacceptable. Unite remain willing to negotiate and invite First Bus to come back to the table with an improved offer.”
