Bus drivers and engineers at Stagecoach Merseyside and Cambus in the east of England have accepted improved pay offers.
Stagecoach Merseyside workers, who are members of trade union Unite, secured a pay rise worth 6.4%. Drivers will now receive £16.60 per hour, rising to £17.30 per hour in April 2025.
They took part in two days of industrial action in June, because they claimed there was a pay disparity between themselves and drivers at other bus organisations in the region.
Meanwhile, more than 140 Stagecoach Cambus bus drivers in Bedfordshire will receive a 15.9% pay rise over the next two years, backdated to May 2024. An initial 11.4% will be applied within six months, along with a further boost in June 2025. The increases apply to all rates and allowances, including sick pay.
The drivers, also members of Unite, were unhappy with their employer’s initial low offer and their pay rates compared to others in the region. They accepted the improved deal following a ballot and threat of strike action.
Matt Davies, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside, said: “We are pleased that the revised pay proposal for our Gillmoss depot team, which was recommended by Unite, has now been accepted. We are sorry for the inconvenience and disruption that the industrial action has caused and thank customers for their patience.”
Sharon Graham, general sectary at Unite, said: “This is a brilliant victory for our members who have justly won a pay rise. Their desire to challenge the poor pay offer they’d initially received and willingness to take to the picket line has brought them a significant pay rise.”
Mark Plumb, regional officer at Unite, added: “Our members should be congratulated on their pay victory at Cambus, they do a highly skilled and stressful job in all weathers. Their endeavours fully deserve to be recognised and well-paid.”
Stagecoach Cambus was contacted for comment prior to publication.
