Travel disruption expected as staff ready to strike

MAJOR travel disruption is expected on North East bus services as hundreds of workers strike over pay.

- DAVID HUNTLEY

Staff including drivers, cleaners and engineers at the Stagecoach North East group will walk out next month.

There is set to be significant disruption to bus services during the summer holidays as nearly 600 Unite members at Busways Travel Services have voted to strike in August.

The dispute comes after workers at the firm were offered a pay rise of 3.3%.

The hourly pay for drivers in the North East - £15.01 per hour - is well below the pay of those doing the same job in the North West, Unite says.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Stagecoach is prioritising profits over people and our hard working members deserve better.

"With so many workers set to take action, strikes will no doubt have a huge impact on bus services.

"However, this disruption is entirely the fault of Stagecoach and we will back our members every step of the way during this dispute."

Workers who have voted to take action include 500 members based at the Slatyford and Walkergate depots in Newcastle, including bus drivers.