Bus strikes confirmed for Sunderland as Go North East fails to reach deal with union

Services of Go North East across the region will be hit by a pair of seven-day walk-outs, beginning on the Saturdays of September 30 and October 14. The strikes are over pay.

Unite says drivers have been forced to strike after the firm failed to improve an offer, despite the latest accounts of parent company the Go-Ahead Group showing profits of nearly £8million.

Go North East say that during “intensive negotiations involving ACAS”, the company offered an improved 9.5% to drivers and engineers and that “administration staff earning up to £40,000 per year have been offered 9.5%, while those earning over £40,000 have been offered 6%.”

The firm also says Unite is demanding a 13% pay increase “on top of a 10% received last year to call off industrial action”.

Go North East business director, Ben Maxfield, said: “We could not have tried harder to solve this dispute. We’ve put more money on the table and listened to drivers who have asked us to slow down moves to bring their working practices into line with competitors.”

“It’s not in our interests, or our passengers’ interests, to have a strike. Unfortunately, by pressing for a 13% pay rise and calling time on talks, it appears some elements within Unite are set on pursuing this course of action.

“I would like to offer my deepest apologies to people across the region who will be affected by Unite’s strike. Rest assured we will continue to work towards the quickest solution possible.”

Go North East claims it made losses of £4.3million in its most recently published accounts, with a key sticking point in the talks being the need to address this by modernising some working practices across its six depots.

If the proposal is accepted, the enhancement will be backdated to July 1 and drivers would also be guaranteed a further inflation-linked pay increase next year.

However, the union says that blame for the strike lies squarely with the employer which it says is “awash with cash”.

Unite’s regional officer Dave Telford said: “It is typical of Go North East to present themselves as the victims when they are the ones who could bring this strike to a swift end with a pay offer that matches the hard work and expectations of our members.

“Go North East refused to meet with Unite from late June until mid September and only with the threat of strike action did they begrudgingly come back to the table.

“Their failure to pay a fair wage in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and when their parent company is awash with cash, is the reason these strikes are going ahead.”

The union has also warned that further action may be notified in due course if a settlement that members can accept isn’t put forward.

Bus depots that will be affected by the industrial action are: Sunderland, Washington, Consett, Gateshead, Hexham and Percy Main (North Shields). Jarrow, South Shields and Hebburn are among the towns affected.