Bus strikes: Fresh pay offer to First Bus staff in bid to end strike action

First Bus has offered bus drivers and supervisors a new 4.8 per cent pay deal which would come into affect tomorrow (February 23) in an attempt to bring to an end the stalemate between Unite and First Bus (Solent).

As previously reported by The News, the two have been unable to reach an agreement in the ongoing despite over pay and conditions. This has led members of Unite to take strike action since December affecting First services in Portsmouth and in the Fareham area.

Unite members from the Hoeford depot have already rejected a four per cent pay deal for its members and is calling for First to reinstate terms and conditions which were removed during the Covid pandemic.

However First has told The News that it had offered a 7.8 per cent pay increase as part of talks through the mediators ACAS which union members have also rejected.

Simon Goff, Managing Director, First Bus Solent said: “We know our people deserve a pay rise and they have been waiting since August last year while negotiations have taken place with Unite. The dispute has gone on for long enough for both colleagues and customers and we have fully exhausted the negotiation process.

“We are therefore pleased to have awarded a 4.8per cent pay increase to all our drivers, with effect from Sunday 23rd February.

“We encourage all our people to return to work as soon as possible in the hope of bringing this dispute to an end for the sake of our community.”

More industrial action is set to take place today, tomorrow and February 25-27.

Stagecoach services are unaffected by the strike action at First.

Unite has been invited to comment.