First Bus drivers are going on strike for three days of each week in February

Bus passengers in Greater Manchester have been warned of ‘severe disruption’ to their journeys as drivers prepare to go on strike three days a week in February.

Over 300 drivers for First Manchester, who are headquartered in Oldham but operate across the region, will be going on strike from next week over a pay dispute.

From there, they will stage walk-outs on February 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd and 25th.

There have already been three days of strike action in the dispute, with further strike dates confirmed for January 20th, 24th and 26th, leading to a surge of service cancellations.

First Greater Manchester / Wikimedia Commons

Sharon Graham, general secretary for Unite the Union who is representing the drivers, 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.

“Unite now does exactly what it says on the trade union tin: it always fights to defend our members’ jobs, pay and conditions. The union will be providing its full support to our members at First Manchester until this dispute is resolved.”

Unite says the drivers, who currently earn £12.40 an hour, started the dispute after First Manchester refused to honour the anniversary date of August 1st when the pay increase for 2021 was due to come into effect. 

The company has also failed to backdate the pay increase from this date.

According to Unite, First Manchester, which recorded an operating profit of £224.3m in 2021, can afford to settle the dispute.

Unite’s regional officer Dave Roberts added: “First Manchester can afford to make our members a fair pay offer but it has chosen not to. Further strikes can be avoided but it requires the company to put forward an improved offer and to return to the negotiating table.”

Ian Humphreys, Managing Director of First Manchester, said in a statement: “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.

“I would like to apologise sincerely to all our customers in advance for the disruption and inconvenience any continued action would cause. This is a decision by Unite when it would be better to keep talking to understand how our substantial offer can be agreed.

“Industrial action has huge impact on the community and damages confidence in using the bus, so I urge union representatives to reconsider their action and continue talking with us to resolve this dispute.”