‘Inadequate’ pay

Bus passengers in the north west are set for disruption to their services, running until the end of November, after talks over ‘inadequate’ pay rates broke down yesterday, Unite said today (October 27).

Over 2,000 bus drivers and engineering staff working for Arriva North West across 11 depots, who have already started a campaign of industrial action, will strike again for 24 hours on Monday (October 30) – and this will be followed by further five one-day strikes on November 6, 8,13, 20 and 27.

The Arriva bus depots affected are: Birkenhead, Bolton, Bootle, Green Lane (Stoneycroft), Macclesfield, Runcorn, St. Helens, Speke, Southport, Winsford and Wythenshaw.

“It is very disappointing that talks broke down yesterday, especially given that  Arriva is owned by the German transport giant Deutsche Bahn AG and has huge financial resources,” said Unite regional officer John Boughton.

“The workers are fed up with this continuing diet of inadequate pay offers when the company makes handsome profits, yet our members struggle to make ends meet as wages lag behind rising inflation,” he added.

“We appreciate that these strikes will cause disruption to the travelling public, but the ball is very much in the company’s court. They have the financial clout to settle this dispute at the stroke of a pen.”

Picket lines will be assembling outside of all Arriva North West depots on the strike days.