Bus strikes suspended following new pay offer

Strike action by First Manchester bus drivers has been suspended

Strikes by bus drivers employed by First Manchester have been suspended following the company making an improved offer in the dispute over pay.
 
The strikes scheduled for tomorrow Friday (4 February) and the stoppages for next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (February 7-9) will now not go ahead.

The decision means that all First Manchester bus services will operate as normal
 
Unite will ballot its 300 plus members on the new offer. If it is accepted the dispute will have ended. If members reject the offer then strikes already scheduled for 15, 17, 18, 21 and 25 February will go ahead as planned.
 
Unite regional officer Dave Roberts said: “In the spirit of goodwill Unite has suspended its next four days of industrial action to allow its members to be balloted on the improved pay offer.
 
“From the beginning of this dispute, Unite has made clear that it believed it could be resolved through negotiations. Once First Manchester returned to the negotiating table with an improved offer progress was made.”

Ian Humphreys, Managing Director of First Manchester, said:  "We’re pleased that our latest offer is to be voted on and hope this will quickly bring an end to this dispute and the significant hardship it is causing to our customers and our colleagues and their families."

Customers with pre-bought tickets for any dates of industrial action will be given a refund or replacement tickets to use for future travel. Further information can be found on the First Manchester website.

Strike action began last month in a dispute over low rates of pay. The industrial action has caused considerable disruption to bus passengers throughout Greater Manchester.

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