Strike action planned by contract workers at the First Bus depot in Aberdeen has been postponed while they consider a new pay offer from their employer.
Industrial action at the King Street site was due to take place from 3pm tomorrow to 6am on Saturday, and then again the next Saturday.
More than 100 cleaners, fuellers and “shunters” across First Bus operations in Aberdeen and Glasgow were poised to walk out after previously rejecting a 2% increase.
Unite the Union had warned buses may be taken off the roads for safety and re-charging reasons.
Our members have stood firm in the run up to industrial action, and this has caused the employer to come back around the table and make a new pay offer.”
Wendy Dunsmore, industrial officer, Unite the Union
An invitation to fresh talks was made less than 48 hours before the first strike was due to begin, Unite said today.
This has resulted in a new offer, the union said, adding “This is now being put to union members in a ballot.”
A spokesman for the union added: “At the moment we are looking to keep the details of the latest offer for the ballot boxes.”
If this latest offer is rejected, the bus depot workers – all employees of service contractor Bidvest Noonan – will strike from Wednesday March 8.
Unite industrial officer Wendy Dunsmore said: “Our members have stood firm in the run up to industrial action, and this has caused the employer to come back around the table and make a new pay offer.
“It is now up to our members to decide if they believe this is sufficient.
“If the latest offer is rejected, then strike action will go ahead as planned on March 8.”
Bidvest Noon failed to respond to a request for comment.
A spokesman for First Bus said: “We can confirm there will be no disruption to our Glasgow and Aberdeen networks between March 1 and 4.”
Aberdeen work outsourced three years ago
First Bus outsourced the work in Glasgow in 2016, with Aberdeen following suit in 2020.
According to Unite, wages at London, Belfast and Dublin-based Bidvest Noonan start at £9.62 per hour.
From April the national minimum wage will be £10.42 per hour.
Accounts lodged at Companies House show Bidvest Noonan (UK) – part of The Bidvest Group (UK) – made pre-tax profits of £13.3 million during the 12 months to June 30 2022, up from £7.3m the year before.
Revenue at the firm surged to £397.2m in the latest period, from £168.2m previously.
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