Six weeks of bus strikes planned in ayrshire as stagecoach pay talks break down

AYRSHIRE BUS NETWORK IS SET TO GRIND TO A HALT FOR SIX WEEKS FROM NEXT MONTH AFTER PAY TALKS BETWEEN UNITE AND STAGECOACH COLLAPSED. 10:01, 21 May 2025Updated 16:33, 21 May 2025 Strike

action across Ayrshire's bus network is back on and this time it is set to wipe out Stagecoach services across the county for six weeks. Pay negotiations between Unite and Stagecoach

had restarted at the end of April after an initial wave of strikes across seven separate day in May was announced. However, discussions between the company and the union have since broken

down and Unite today, Tuesday, May 21, confirmed that strikes would be taking place. Starting with three days of action on Monday, May 26, Monday, June 2 and Friday, June 6, drivers will

then walk out for six weeks of continuous action starting on Monday, June 9 and lasting until Monday, July 21. Drivers at the company's depots in Ayr, Arran, Ardrossan and Kilmarnock

will all take part in the strikes affecting all of the company's services in the region. Unite members voted 98 per cent in favour of taking industrial action after they rejected a four

per cent pay offer which the union said came with “strings attached”. Stagecoach have said that drivers in Dumfries and Galloway have accepted an 11.8 per cent pay offer over two years but

the same offer was rejected by drivers in Ayrshire. DOWNLOAD THE AYRSHIRE LIVE APP TODAY The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now. Get all the local news in your area – plus

features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7. The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise

your page with the sections that matter to you. The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Stagecoach West Scotland

is a profitable company. It is making money on the back of our members’ hard work and long hours. The company can end this dispute at any moment by putting forward a fair offer.” Siobhan

McCready, Unite industrial officer, said: “Stagecoach West Scotland have not improved their pay offer in six months. “The drivers are being asked to fund a pay rise by working longer hours,

taking longer unpaid breaks and losing a week of annual leave. This is simply unacceptable, and it will not be tolerated by Unite. “Widespread and prolonged industrial action is set to hit

bus services across the west of Scotland because this company doesn’t seem capable of listening to its workers. “It’s not right that the drivers are the lowest paid across the whole of the

Stagecoach group. “Our members deserve a fair rate and that’s what we are determined to get for them.” A spokesperson for Stagecoach said: “Following further discussions with Unite, our

staff across Dumfries and Galloway have accepted a two year pay deal that will see their hourly rate of pay increase by nearly 12 per cent (11.8 per cent). “Our Ayrshire staff have, however,

rejected this same offer of 11.8 per cent, and despite our best efforts to reach an agreement and avoid industrial action we must now focus on putting practical plans in place to support

our customers during this challenging period. We have a crucial role in helping people stay connected with their communities. “On Monday, May 26, Monday, June 2 and Friday, June 6 services

will operate as normal from our Cumbernauld, Dumfries and Stranraer depots with reduced services from our Ayrshire depots. The details of the services being operated can be found on our

website https://www.stagecoachbus.com/service-updates/serviceupdatesarticle?SituationId=ID-21/05/2025-10:30:20:929 “We urge Unite to reconsider its position and return to the negotiating

table. Our commitment remains to reach a fair and sustainable agreement - one that supports our employees while ensuring the long-term viability of our services across West Scotland.”

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