Strikes set to take place this week by almost 450 bus drivers have been called off after they won a three-year pay deal.

Unite members at the Lea Interchange Bus Company, part of Stagecoach, were set to walk out from tomorrow until Sunday (March 19 to 22) after they were not offered a pay rise despite the pay anniversary being April 2025. However, they have now accepted a new pay offer from their employer.

The three-year deal will see them get a four per cent pay rise with effect from 29 March 2025 including backpay from this date, followed by an increase of inflation plus one per cent based on the CPI figure for April 2026. In the third year, they will receive an inflation-based increase on the CPI figure for April 2027.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "These workers stood together in their fight for fair pay and should be commended on securing this excellent deal, which ensures their pay will go up.

"Unite is a trade union that wins for workers. We deliver on our promises to put more money back into our members' pockets."

As well as pay rises, the Unite members have also won other improvements to pay and conditions, including the introduction of a late running, unsocial hours payments and voluntary overtime rate of time and a quarter for any hours and minutes worked after the normal spell of duty comes to an end and the option to carry up to three lieu days over to the following year.

Unite regional officer John Murphy said: "Unite is very pleased to have found a solution to this dispute, ensuring our members have three years of baked-in pay rises and improvements to pay and conditions.

"It shows the power of a union. Any worker who wants better pay and conditions should join Unite." 

Separate industrial action by 300 Unite members at the East London Bus & Coach Company, part of Stagecoach, in East London is still set to go ahead from tomorrow to Sunday. The dispute centres around driver fatigue and problems with scheduling.

ENDS

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite press officer Natasha Wynarczyk on 07970081524

Email: natasha.wynarczyk@unitetheunion.org