January bus strike dates for First Solent confirmed as list of services which will run are published

Bus drivers and supervisors from First Bus (Solent) who are members of the Unite union are set to strike every weekend of this month following on from their action over the festive period in a dispute over pay.

Strike dates by staff at the Hoeford bus depot will take place from January 11 and 12, 18 and 19 and 25 and 26, with First Bus apologising to its passengers for the disruption caused at weekends - with its weekday services set to be unaffected.

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It comes after Unite rejected a four per cent pay deal and expressed anger that First had refused 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.

Unite Regional officer Ian Woodland said: "Our members have yet to see an offer that they feel is acceptable. First Bus are trying to force through a two-year pay deal when economic uncertainty over things like inflation means this ties workers to a deal that might be close to worthless in 12 months time.

“Unite is engaging with both First Bus and ACAS to try and resolve this dispute but the employer's refusal to budge or negotiate has left our members with little choice but to take to the picket line."

A Solent from First Bus spokesperson said it had done all it could to come to agreement to avert strike action.

They said: “Throughout this extensive negotiation process, we have listened to Unite member feedback and made a number of offers in order to try and settle this dispute, to ensure customers are not affected by strike action.

“We have been open with Unite that we could not go beyond our final no strings offer of 7.8 per cent over two years (including other enhancements). To be clear, this represents a 35.9 per cent pay increase since 2021.

“Unfortunately, rather than work with us to find a resolution, Unite have decided to proceed with planned industrial action across three weekends in January. We have reminded them that it is our customers who are going to suffer unnecessarily.

"We would like to sincerely apologise for the disruption this unnecessary action will cause. We know people will have essential appointments and rely on us, so we will do all we can using staff from other areas to keep as many services running as possible.”

First has made changes have been made to the timetables for services 1, 3, 5, 9 and E1/2 over the strike weekends to cope, although First Bus expects routes 2, 7, 8, 22, Hoverbus (H1) and the Portsmouth Park & Ride (PR1) service to operate as normal.

Changes are:

• Bus service number 1 (Southsea – The Hard) Buses will operate between approx. 9am and 6pm every 20-40 minutes on Saturdays but there will be no service on the Sundays.
• Bus service number 3 (Fareham – Portsmouth – Southsea) Buses will operate between Fareham and Cosham Health Centre only every 20-30 mins between approx. 6.30am and 9pm on the Saturdays. On the Sundays buses will operate between Fareham and Cosham Health Centre only every 30 mins between approx. 8.30am and 6.30pm
• Bus service number 5 (Fareham – Lee – Gosport) Buses will operate hourly between 7.30am and 6.30pm on the Saturdays. On the Sundays buses will operate a normal timetable except the 6pm departures which will not operate
• Bus service number 9 (Fareham – Rowner – Gosport) Buses will operate hourly between approx. 7.30am and 6.30pm on the Saturdays. On the Sundays buses will operate hourly between approx. 9am and 7pm
• Bus service number E1/E2 (Fareham – Brockhurst – Gosport) Each route will operate half hourly between 7am and 8pm with a combined 15-minute frequency between Fareham and Fort Brockhurst on the Saturdays. On the Sundays each route will operate half hourly between 7.30am and 6.30pm with a combined 15-minute frequency between Fareham and Fort Brockhurst

Meanwhile the Portsmouth Trade Union Council has pledged its support for the strike action after being briefed by Unite over its aims to ‘win back terms and conditions they lost during the covid pandemic’ and have ‘decent pay’.

Chair of Portsmouth Trade Union Council Jon Woods said: “Penny pinchers at First Bus won't bring back pay for the few minutes after drivers stop driving, but before they can start their unpaid rest breaks. The company are trying to force drivers into pay deal worth 7.8 per cent over two years. Inflation means this deal would be real terms pay cut and do nothing to tackle decades of low pay. First Bus pay their drivers some of the lowest wages in the industry.

“Bus drivers are safety critical workers. They keep our communities moving. First Bus are failing to recognise the value of their highly skilled workforce.”

Mr Woods said that many people supported the strike action, recognising the importance of the job they do.

“First Bus drivers have had to strike to remind their bosses what was highlighted in the pandemic,” he said, “the jobs that really are essential.

“Health, social care, transport, education, retail, delivery and all the other workers who put their lives on the line during Covid have not forgotten. That's why many of them will support the bus drivers' strike action every weekend in January - or until they get a fair settlement.

“The bus drivers deserve our understanding, support, and solidarity.”

The first set of strikes last month forced First Bus to make changes to its timetables and reduce some services.

Stagecoach services are unaffected by the strike action.