Bus drivers from Arriva depots across Merseyside and the North West are set to walk out on strike later this month over what has been labelled a 'pitiful' pay offer.
Around 1,800 workers for the bus operator have returned a 96% yes vote in favour of strike action. The Unite union says that unless Arriva drastically improves its offer then the first region-wide strike will take place on Wednesday July 20. Stagecoach bus drivers in Liverpool are also planning another strike on the same day, meaning the city region could face severe disruption to its bus services on that day.
Unite says its members are striking over a 'pitiful' pay offer from the German-owned transport giant of just 3% with no strings attached, or 6% which included reductions in sick pay and loss of Saturday enhanced pay. The union has pointed out that both the offers are far below the current real inflation rate (RPI) of 11.7% and so constitute a real terms pay cut.
