Following constructive talks with Unite, the union have informed Go North East that next week’s planned strike action by engineering staff has been suspended.
Engineers will now vote on accepting a revised offer from the company in the next few days.
It comes after bus passengers were warned to expect disruption after engineers employed by Go North East announced strike action in the week before Christmas.
Read more: Go North East bus engineers to strike in Christmas week with passengers warned of disruption
Some 150 engineers rejected a 10 per cent pay increase, dubbing the offer as a real terms pay cut with the true inflation rate (RPI) standing at 14.2 per cent. The engineers were set to conduct strike action on Monday, December 19, with the dispute ending on the morning of Sunday, December 25.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Go Ahead is an extremely wealthy company that can fully afford to pay its workers a fair pay increase. Its failure to do so is all about boosting its profits and not about affordability. Our members at Go North East will receive Unite’s unflagging support."
Following this evening's announcement on the suspension of strike action, Company Managing Director Nigel Featham, said, “I am pleased to say that talks with Unite proved productive. We have made a fresh offer, which remains within our budgets and is one I believe all parties can confidently get behind.
"We were always confident that passengers would not have been impacted by the strike, but this takes away any threat of a disruption to bus services in the run up to Christmas”.
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