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Greater Manchester bus staff ballot for strike action amid pay dispute
This comes as the North West braces for the biggest rail strike in thirty years
Bus staff at Arriva in Greater Manchester and Merseyside are balloting for strike action amid a dispute in pay, Unite the Union has confirmed today.
Over 1,800 members of staff are said to be involved in the dispute and, if industrial action is voted in, the strikes could begin as soon as July.
The depots involved in the dispute are Birkenhead, Bolton, Bootle, Liverpool, Macclesfield, Manchester, Runcorn, Southport, Speke, St Helens, and Winsford.
Unite the Union says the dispute is a result of Arriva’s ‘pitifully low pay increases’ of 3% and 6%, which both saw reductions in sick pay and loss of Saturday enhanced pay.
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According to the union, these pay increases are far below the current real inflation rate (RPI) of 11.1%.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Arriva can full afford to pay our members a fair rate of pay but it is choosing not to do so to boost its profits.”
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Unite regional officer Dave Roberts pointed out that while strike action would result in ‘considerable disruption for passengers throughout the North West‘, the dispute is ‘entirely of Arriva’s own making’.
He added: “Despite extensive negotiations it has failed to make an offer which is anywhere close to our members’ expectations.
“Even at this late stage strike action could still be avoided if Arriva returns to the negotiating table and makes a realistic pay offer.”
An Arriva spokesperson said: “We are fully committed to reaching an agreement with Unite for our North West staff and talks are ongoing.”
This comes as the North West braces itself for major travel disruption as a result of train strikes across a number of major operators, including Northern and TransPennine Express.
Network Rail has warned that half of Britain’s rail lines will be closed as strikes happen Tuesday 21st, Thursday 23rd and Saturday 25th June.
The ballot closes on Monday July 4th.