Over 380 bus drivers employed by Stagecoach West and based throughout Swindon and depots throughout Gloucestershire have announced a month long strike in a dispute over chronic low pay.
Strike action, which was backed overwhelmingly by the drivers who are members of Unite the union, will begin on Thursday 10th March and continue until Saturday 9th April coinciding with the Cheltenham Festival.
The strike is set to cause considerable disruption to the event as Stagecoach has the contract to take festival goers to and from the racecourse.
With many drivers paid under £11 per hour, Unite has been pressing for an increase in line with real inflation, currently at 7.8 per cent. However, Stagecoach has tabled offers that are in effect pay cuts.
It is the first time ever that the drivers have voted for industrial action.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite has given Stagecoach West every opportunity to make a fair pay offer to avoid strike action but it has failed to do so.
“Our members at Stagecoach West have made it very clear that they will accept nothing less than a significant pay rise and they have Unite’s full support in this fight.
“Stagecoach has to get real – it’s time to table a serious offer.”
Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “The fact is that two out of three employees at Swindon depot have not voted for this strike action.
“Our people in Swindon do a great job and we value them for it. That’s why they have received pay increases over the past two years during some difficult times, and we have put forward a further pay rise for the year ahead. This is on top of our pay rates at this depot already being higher than other major bus operators locally.
“At a time when we should be working together to protect jobs and services and we’re making some really positive steps to improve the reliability of our services, any disruption caused by industrial action would set back the recovery of bus services and come as a real kick in the teeth for our local communities.
“Bus services across the country still require government support with passenger numbers still significantly below pre-pandemic levels, yet Unite seems determined to cause more damage at a time when we are trying our hardest to build back from Covid.
“We are urging Unite to return to talks with us, instead of creating more uncertainty for people who rely on their bus services to get to work, access public and other services, and stay in touch with their friends and families.”
Unite regional officer Shevaun Hunt said: “Our members are taking strike action as a last resort because Stagecoach has refused to listen. Industrial action will inevitably cause severe disruption to passengers throughout Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and especially during the Cheltenham Festival.
“Even now strike action could be avoided if Stagecoach West was prepared to return to the negotiating table and make an offer which meets the drivers’ expectations.”
