Bus drivers back strike action over ‘derisory’ pay offer
11 DAYS OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION THREATENED BY UNION
BUS passengers face 11 days of distruption after more than 50 Kinchbus drivers voted to strike after receiving a pay offer they say is “derisory”.
There has already been a number of recent bus cancellations due to a shortage of drivers.
Now travellers are set to face even more as staff are due to stage industrial action between November 13 and December 11, with an all-out strike on December 13 if their pay dispute cannot be settled.
The Unite union balloted 78 members of staff over industrial action and 69 members – 88 per cent – voted in favour.
MORE than 50 Kinchbus drivers have voted to strike after receiving a pay offer from the firm they say is “derisory”.
Kinchbus passengers have seen a number of services being cancelled in recent days due to a shortage of drivers at the company.
They are now set to face even more as staff are due to stage 11 days of industrial action between November 13 and December 11, with an all-out strike on December 13 if their pay dispute cannot be settled.
The Unite union balloted 78 members of staff over industrial action and 69 members – 88 per cent – voted in favour. Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “Despite performing a critical and challenging role, our Kinchbus members are among the lowest paid bus drivers in the nation.
“Even if they accepted Kinchbus’s derisory pay offer, their hourly wage would still be less than £11 an hour.
“Kinchbus’ drivers are taking a stand against their low wages and Unite will be campaigning relentlessly in support of their fight for decent pay.
“Unite will defend our members’ jobs, pay and conditions to the hilt. Employers should know we are a fighting-back union.”
The union said the strikes will “seriously impact” Kinchbus routes across Loughborough and the wider region, including services to East Midlands Airport, Nottingham, Leicester and Derby.
Scott Lennon, Unite’s regional officer, said the the strikes can still be avoided by an “acceptable” offer.
He said: “These strikes will seriously impact Kinchbus services in Loughborough and across the region and are not actions our members take lightly. They have been backed into a corner by Kinchbus, whose management bears full responsibility for the disruption that will be caused.
“There is still time to avoid strikes, but that requires Kinchbus to table an offer our members can accept.”
Kinchbus have declined to comment.