"First Manchester bus strike: 12 new walk-out dates announced for January and February", 19 January 2021

Bus passengers in Greater Manchester face 'severe disruption' to their journeys as drivers prepare to strike for three days every week in February over a pay dispute.

The new proposed action by First Manchester drivers, who are headquartered in Oldham but operate across Greater Manchester, will start on Monday, January 31.

There will follow walk-outs on February 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 15, 17, 18, 21, 23 and 25.

It means more than 300 drivers, who are members of Unite, will be striking for three days a week next month.

There have already been three days of strike action in the dispute and further strikes dates have already been announced for January 20, 24 and 26, leading to a raft of service cancellations...

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: "Bus drivers, including those at First Manchester, are no longer prepared to accept low rates of pay, for the difficult and stressful work they undertake...

Currently, say Unite, the drivers' wage stands at £12.40 an hour.

But an ongoing sticking point is First Manchester's alleged refusal to backdate the last pay increase for 2021 to August 1.

Unite, which warned of 'severe disruption', says the firm...can afford to settle the dispute...

Ian Humphreys, Managing Director of First Manchester, said: “Despite the efforts we have already made to meet what we were told were agreed demands, union officials have announced their intention to hold further strikes.

“The Company has offered a substantial increase to £13 per hour, along with a lump sum payment. We have also offered to equalise the rate for school bus drivers with that for service bus drivers which would mean an even greater increase for this group of colleagues.

“There are no changes to our colleagues’ conditions and whilst reference has also been made to rota patterns, this is simply about the introduction of a previously agreed, shared plan to update recruiting and working practices to fulfil the Company’s commitments to diversity in the workplace.

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