Unite, the UK’s leading union, has secured a 13.3 per cent pay rise for around 450 bus drivers employed by Stagecoach in Warwickshire.

The one-year pay deal means drivers will be on £14 an hour and receive back pay from January of more than £1,000. In addition, the two-year period in which new starters have to wait to receive the full hourly rate has been changed to six months.

The deal, negotiated after the workers began balloting for strike action, applies to drivers at Stagecoach’s Nuneaton, Rugby, Leamington and Stratford-Upon-Avon depots.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “By standing together in their union, our members secured a significant pay increase. This deal shows once again that Unite’s strategy of focusing entirely on improving our members’ jobs, pay and conditions gets results.” 

Since Sharon Graham was elected as Unite’s general secretary in August 2021, a new bus combine has been introduced to bring Unite reps together from across the industry to coordinate their fight to raise pay and conditions. 

In 2019, prior to the pandemic lockdowns, there were 11 Unite bus strikes nationally. But since the bus combine was introduced, there have been 102 passenger transport disputes involving tens of thousands of workers.

This has led to a slew of pay victories in the sector. These include underpaid Stagecoach workers in Hull achieving a 20 per cent pay rise, 2,000 Arriva North West members earning £2,900 extra a year and Arriva workers in Kent securing a 13.92 per cent rise.

Unite regional officer Sulinder Singh said: “Our members and reps at Stagecoach in Warwickshire achieved this victory through solidarity in their union. This result is another reminder that those wanting to improve their wages and working lives should join Unite and get their colleagues to do the same.”   

ENDS 

For media enquires ONLY contact Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org 

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Web: unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.