Summer holiday Stagecoach bus strikes across the North East are back on after workers rejected the company’s latest pay offer.

The 600 workers voted to reject a 3.3 per cent increase backdated to April and further 1.7 per cent from January 2026.

The offer did not bring the workers pay parity with colleagues doing the same job for Stagecoach in the North West. For example, Stagecoach North East drivers currently only earn £15.01 an hour, whereas North West drivers in Manchester earn £17.54.

Stagecoach is a highly profitable firm, with figures from last year showing it recorded a total operating profit of £51.1m - up from £33.1m - and a profit before taxation of £47.6m.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Stagecoach North East’s workers have rejected the company’s latest offer because it totally undervalued them. Stagecoach is a profitable company and can afford to improve the deal. The workers will receive Unite’s full backing during these pay strikes.”

600 Stagecoach workers across Newcastle, including drivers and engineers, will take strike action on 18 and 21 August. Strike action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved.

Unite regional officer Dave Telford said: “There will be severe disruption to bus services across Newcastle and Tyne and Wear but this is entirely the fault of Stagecoach for failing to put forward an acceptable offer. There is still time for industrial action to be avoided but that will require Stagecoach tabling a deal its workers can accept.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@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.