Bus workers across Scotland have banded together to back plans for a strike action amid an ongoing dispute over “unfair” pay.
Around 1,000 Stagecoach workers – including drivers, engineering staff and administrative workers and cleaners – have gone up in arms to demand a “significant shift” in the company’s pay offer.
Unite Scotland today confirmed that unless the company rises up to resolve the dispute across all its Scotland divisions, a nation-wide industrial action by the end of the month will be “inevitable”.
However, Stagecoach insisted they were “puzzled” by the announcement – saying they have been working “constructively” with the union and have not been given any dates for strike action.
Some depots, including Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray, have also already settled pay claims without resorting to industrial action.
Workers feel ‘undervalued’ and ‘underappreciated’
Dougie Maguire, Unite regional coordinator, hopes a proposed strike will urge Stagecoach to improve the conditions for their “undervalued” and “underappreciated” workers.
He said: “Unite has received a resounding mandate for industrial action across the whole of Stagecoach’s operations in Scotland.
“The results should really make Stagecoach sit up and take notice that their workers feel greatly undervalued, and underappreciated.
“The workforce has continued to work professionally throughout the pandemic and they have made a huge contribution to the massive profits of the Stagecoach Group.”
Strike action to bring disruption to C0p26
The mandate for industrial action covers major bus depots – including Inverness and the Highlands and Islands – with Stagecoach operating routes across the whole of mainland Scotland and the Islands.
The union further claims that any industrial action will involve disruption to the Cop26 climate change conference, which will be held in Glasgow from October 31 until November 12.
Unite has demanded Stagecoach meet its “fair” pay claim of the Retail Price Index inflation figure plus 1%, as the latest accounts reveal that the Group made a profit of £58.4m, and it has over £875m of available liquidity.
Yesterday, Unite also confirmed that around 600 of its members in Fife, Perth and Strathtay rejected the latest pay offer from Stagecoach East of 2.4% backdated to May 2021 by 90%.
But Stagecoach has insisted that talks have already been underway and an offer, which will cover hundreds of employees, has been recommended for acceptance by the union.
Stagecoach vows to deliver ‘fair’ proposals to their workers
In light of Unite’s announcement, the company has highlighted their progress since the summer and denied receiving a formal notice of plans for an industrial action.
A Stagecoach spokesman said: “Today’s statement by Unite is puzzling. Indeed, the union has just this week recommended acceptance of our offer covering hundreds of employees in the west of Scotland and the vote on the deal is taking place on Thursday.
“Separately, in July we reached agreement with the union covering around 400 of our people at depots across the north-east of Scotland.
“We also remain in discussions with Unite regarding pay deals for the remaining depots in other parts of the country and the union has not given notice of any strike dates, which is a legal requirement in advance of any action.
“We are continuing to work constructively with Unite to deliver proposals that are fair to our people, and which also ensures the long-term sustainability of the bus network for local communities at a time when passenger numbers are significantly below the level needed to cover the costs of running services.”