Stagecoach Sunderland bus drivers set to strike as pay negotiations fall through as bosses plead 'talk not walk'

Stagecoach bosses said they had hoped to reach a pay deal but have said negotiations have “fallen through” and bus drivers are now set to strike from Tuesday October 11 until Saturday October 15.

The company said it had made “numerous offers” to the GMB union which were similar to those agreed with other trade unions in the North East and would make Sunderland drivers “amongst the highest paid of any bus drivers in the region”.

Steve Walker, Managing Director of Stagecoach North East, said: “We have left no stone unturned in trying to agree a pay deal to avoid people in Sunderland being inconvenienced by this unnecessary strike action.

“We have reached agreement with other trade unions at our other North East depots, which cover the vast majority of our staff. The proposals we have put forward for Sunderland are similar and represent a good pay deal for our employees.”

Stagecoach bosses said they made an additional offer this morning (October 7) which has also been rejected.

Mr Walker added: “GMB keep moving the goalposts over what they are looking for and seem determined now to press ahead with this unnecessary strike action.

“We have plans in place to try and run as many services as we can during the strike, and to make sure people can still get to their work, to education and to access other services.

“There is no doubt though that this will cause disruption for our local community in Sunderland and at the same time, will hit the pockets of our employees at a time when every penny counts.

“It is in everybody’s interests to have a thriving bus sector that supports jobs, good pay for bus workers, grows the economy and meets the country’s net zero carbon objectives, and to achieve that we need people to switch to the bus.

"Strikes don’t help this objective – we would urge GMB to talk not walk.”

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Speaking last week following the ballot for strike action - in which 97 per cent of GMB members voted to withdraw their labour - GMB representative Stuart Gilhespy said: “Sunderland’s bus drivers will be on strike five straight days in October. Stagecoach has plenty of money but are refusing to invest in the workers – or in Sunderland’s bus fleet which is in a shocking state. It’s time they got their priorities straight before Sunderland grinds to a halt.”

Timetables for bus services running from October 11 ro 15 will be published later today (October 7) on the Stagecoach website.