Strikes off as First Glasgow workers secure pay win

Unite has confirmed today (Tuesday 20 January) that around 50 First Bus cleaners, fuellers and shunters in Glasgow have secured an inflation beating pay win after unanimously backing strike action.

 

A last minute enhanced pay offer by First Bus amounting to five per cent led to strike action over 13 to 17 January being suspended to allow for a ballot on the offer which has now been overwhelmingly backed by Unite’s membership.

 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said: “Unite’s members have secured a pay win at First Glasgow after standing firm.  It was only the threat of strike action which ensured the company came back to the negotiating table with an enhanced offer. Unite continues to drive up the jobs, pay and conditions of bus workers across Glasgow.”

 

The bus workers and cleaners who are based at the Caledonia, Scotstoun, Blantyre and Overtown bus depots clean and refuel buses for First Bus. Without the cleaning, refuelling and re-charging of First Glasgow’s fleet, buses across Glasgow would have been taken off the roads for safety, cleanliness and re-charging reasons. 

 

First Glasgow’s combined profits across the depots totalled £14.1m (First Glasgow No.1) in March 2024, and £11.2M (First Glasgow No.2) registered in March 2025.

 

Unite industrial officer Graham McNab said: “We are pleased that the pay dispute has been successfully resolved. First Glasgow ultimately had to listen to the workers who simply wanted a fair and reasonable pay offer which they got in the end after showing the company that they were fully prepared to fight to get it.” 

 

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors  

For media enquiries please contact Andrew Brady on 07810157922. Email andrew.brady@unitetheunion.org

Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members.