Arriva North West bus drivers to vote on new pay offer

A bus strike which has seen services in North-West England cancelled for more than three weeks could end next week.

Arriva North West (ANW) said it had made an improved pay offer which Unite and GMB unions would put to a members' vote on Monday and Tuesday.

The bus company said it hoped the strike would end by Wednesday, almost a month after staff walked out in a dispute over pay.

Unite confirmed the ANW statement was correct but declined to comment.

Bus services in Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester were cancelled when industrial action began on 20 July after drivers rejected an initial offer of an 8.5% pay rise.

Negotiations between managers and GMB and Unite unions have repeatedly collapsed.

However, ANW said unions would now put the improved offer to their members.

In a statement ANW said ballots would take place on Monday and Tuesday and all parties wanted to see buses services resume on Wednesday.

"Following re-convened pay negotiations today, Arriva has tabled an improved offer that has enabled Unite the Union and GMB to ballot members on this offer," a spokesman said.

"All parties are working hard to bring the industrial action to a conclusion."

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