Stagecoach strike Sheffield: Seven day bus strike to start on Sunday confirms Unite union

Sheffield will be hit by a week long strike on its Stagecoach bus routes, the union Unite has confirmed.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The company says it offered drivers and engineers a 4.5 per cent pay rise, but the union says workers in some parts of the country had received offers of up to 10 .5 per cent.

Unite said over 560 workers, at the Stagecoach depots in Sheffield, Barnsley and Rotherham, voted ‘overwhelmingly’ in favour of a strike over pay.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stagecoach says the strike, from Sunday November 28 until Saturday December 4 means it will be unable to run any of its services in Sheffield during that period.

A Sheffield Stagecoach bus strike is set to start on SundayA Sheffield Stagecoach bus strike is set to start on Sunday
A Sheffield Stagecoach bus strike is set to start on Sunday

Phil Medlicott, Managing Director for Stagecoach Yorkshire, said the firm was ‘extremely sorry’ that the action being taken by Unite meant services would not be running during the strike.

He said: “We know that our employees deserve a good pay rise and we have left no stone unturned in our attempts to reach a settlement with Unite by offering employees an increase to the hourly pay rate of 4.5 per cent.

“Despite the positive and flexible approach we have taken in talks with the union, it’s very disappointing that this has progressed to strike action which is in nobody’s interests.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We remain open to continuing discussions with the union and would urge them to call off this unnecessary action which will cause untold inconvenience to local communities and will hit the pockets of our employees and their families.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Low pay is the scourge of the bus industry right across this country. Stagecoach made profits touching £60m last year and has £875m in the bank. Yet it cannot make a decent offer to its staff.

“Unite is pledged to fight for the jobs, pay and conditions of our members so we will be relentless in the campaign to ensure that our members at Stagecoach, in South Yorkshire, get a fair deal.”

Unite regional officer Phil Bown said: “Bus workers were rightly hailed as heroes during successive lockdowns. However, warm words do not pay the bills and Stagecoach needs to reward its workers' dedication with a decent pay award.”