First Bus response to result of Unite ballot on pay offer to Leeds drivers

First Bus has confirmed that a pay offer to Unite members at its Leeds depots has been rejected and industrial action planned from Sunday 18 June will go ahead.

Andrew Cullen, Managing Director of First North & West Yorkshire, said:

“We are very disappointed and dismayed at the decision to continue with strike action in Leeds.   

“The generous pay offer we made to the union of a 12 per cent increase between now and April next year is well above inflation and would have helped our drivers to manage the cost of living as quickly as possible.

“Part of this pay increase would have been implemented now with further rises in October and again in April 2024.

“The current agreement on pay, which was signed by Unite and its officials, is in place and agreed until October 2023. The anniversary date was changed during Covid in order to safeguard jobs and to enable us to offer an enhanced sick pay scheme during the pandemic.

“As part of our discussions, we listened to Unite’s request to return the anniversary date to April and as part of the offer we agreed to do this and therefore the next pay review date would be April 2025.”

He added: “Industrial action will be damaging to everyone and cause severe disruption to the daily lives of our customers who rely on the bus to get to work, education and for appointments.

“We are making plans to determine the extent of bus services we will be able to operate from Sunday 18 June and further information will be published on our website later today (Friday 16 June).

“Industrial action is not the way forward to find a settlement.”

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