A long-running strike by drivers and staff at bus company Arriva is finally over with services to again operate as normal after workers accepted a 'magnificent' pay deal.
Employees at Arriva have been taking part in 'all-out continuous strike action' since July 20 as part of the dispute over pay. On Wednesday the company announced they had reached an agreement with Unite and the GMB unions for an 'unprecedented' 11.1 percent pay rise.
The strike was suspended with drivers back on the road on Thursday after following the offer, which will be worth an additional average of £2,300 on the workers’ salaries, equal to an extra £55 per week.
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Today (Friday), it has been confirmed members of both trade unions had officially voted to accept the deal, meaning the industrial action is over after 29 days of walk-outs by staff at depots including Manchester and Bolton as well as those in Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside.
GMB Organiser George Patterson said: "GMB members at Arriva should be very proud of themselves. By standing together they’ve won themselves the pay rise they deserve.
“It's just disappointing it took five weeks of financial hardship and public inconvenience to get there – especially as the company had the finances to fund the pay rise the whole time.”
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, told the Liverpool Echo : “Our members stood strong for a month. They thoroughly deserve their magnificent victory.
“This is how Unite responds to the cost of living crisis, with a win that will put an extra £55 per week in our members’ wallets. Arriva North West’s German parent company could well afford to raise pay. We say to other employers, take note – where you can pay, you should do so.”
The company said in a statement on their wesbite: "We can confirm our latest pay offer has been accepted by Unite and GMB members, this means industrial action in now concluded and Arriva services will continue to operate as normal throughout the North West.
"The pay offer made is going to place challenges upon the sustainability of the network and we are focused on minimising that impact.."
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