New dates for First Bus strikes as dispute escalates with union anger at attempt to 'impose pay deal'
New strike dates have been announced by bus drivers who have expressed fury that First Bus has attempted to ‘ impose a pay deal that had already been rejected by workers’.
The fresh strikes are due to take place into March, following on from strike action which has been taking place since December by more than 140 drivers and supervisors from the Hoeford depot. It follows a dispute over pay and conditions.
Strikes are now due to take place from February 25-27, March 3-7 and March 10-11 meaning, the union Unite said, that bus services be ‘close to zero’.
It impacts services in Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport and Southampton with union members again set to take to the picket line to demonstrate their anger at the pay rates on offer and ‘the disregard shown to them by First Bus management’.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “First Group is making millions of pounds of profit across the UK on public transport yet is treating its workers and the communities they serve in Hampshire with disdain.
“To pay barely above the minimum wage for a skilled and high-pressure job is utterly unacceptable. To now attempt to impose a pay deal already rejected by our membership is an act of desperation and cowardice. Our members at First have the total support of Unite in their dispute."
As previously reported by The News, First Bus instigated a four per cent pay deal at the weekend which it urged union members to accept and go back to work. However, First Bus workers are calling for the reinstatement of conditions it lost during the Covid pandemic, although First said it traded those for a higher pay deal ay the time.
Unite regional officer Ian Woodland said: "Imposing a pay deal against our members wishes is potentially an unlawful act and Unite is currently considering a legal case. Our members are furious they have been treated with contempt by the company.
"The manging director of First South has refused to even enter into negotiations since December. Due to the company’s own actions Unite is escalating industrial action. The resulting disruption is directly a result of the First Bus’ actions.
“Unite remain willing to negotiate and invite First Bus to come back to the table with an improved offer."
It also said that during the pandemic First Bus used the threat of fire and rehire to take the terms and conditions from Unite members and ‘used a Covid recovery program to justify it’. Despite assurances they would look to reinstate them, they have since refused to even enter negotiations either with Unite or through the conciliation service Acas.
The union claims First Group had revenues of nearly £5 billion in 2023 across the UK while First Hampshire & Dorset had a turnover of nearly £37 million. It said staff are now being paid barely above the minimum wage for ‘a skilled and stressful job’.
In response Simon Goff, managing director, First Bus South, said: “Our people deserve a pay rise, and they have been waiting since August last year while negotiations have taken place with Unite.
“After many months of negotiations, which first began in May 2024, First Bus and the Trade Union Negotiating Committee were unfortunately unable to reach a mutual agreement.
“This dispute went on for long enough for both colleagues and customers and we fully exhausted the negotiation process. Once the collective pay negotiation process has been exhausted, we are able to implement the pay increase.
“Last weekend, we awarded a 4.8% pay increase to all our drivers. This is part of a pay offer that represents a 35.9% pay increase since 2021, which is significantly ahead of inflation.
The implementation of this pay deal in no way interferes with our ongoing collective bargaining arrangements with Unite on pay, and we will engage with them again in future negotiations.
“Further strike action has considerable impact on our customers who rely on our services. We encourage Unite to call off the industrial action so we can give our people their back pay, and hopefully agree our proposed further 3% pay rise from August 2025.”
Stagecoach services are unaffected by the First Bus action.