A two-day bus strike planned for Brighton and Crawley later this month has been called off after drivers secured a new pay agreement.
Members of the Unite union working for Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus Crawley, both part of the Go-Ahead Group, had been due to walk out on 15 and 17 October.
But the union confirmed yesterday (Tuesday 1 October) that the action has been suspended after workers accepted a 5.2 per cent pay rise.
Union Reaction
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“I’m delighted our members have received a pay rise that is nothing more than they deserve. They were prepared to take to the picket line and stood firm in their demands until they got an offer that was acceptable. This shows, yet again, that Unite is the winning union.”
Unite regional officer Janet Nobbs said:
“Our members do an incredibly stressful job, driving at all times of day and night, in all weathers throughout the year. They keep Brighton and Crawley’s workers and students moving. This pay award is absolutely deserved in the face of a cost of living crisis and I’m really pleased to see our members win this dispute
But there remain significant issues with management practices at Brighton Bus Company that need addressing and Unite will be holding its feet to the fire in the coming weeks and months as we stand up for our members’ rights.”
Company Statement
Brighton & Hove and Metrobus managing director Ed Wills said services would run as normal on the strike days.
Background
The pay deal brings to an end weeks of uncertainty for passengers across the city and in Crawley, where thousands rely on buses for daily travel.
Both companies are owned by Go-Ahead, itself part of an international transport partnership between Kinetic and Globalvia.
Although the immediate threat of disruption has passed, union officials signalled that talks over wider workplace practices are likely to continue.
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