South Yorkshire Stagecoach workers strike extended

Bus services in South Yorkshire face more disruption in the run-up to Christmas after drivers extended their strike amid an ongoing pay dispute.

More than 560 Stagecoach employees in Sheffield, Barnsley and Rotherham took action after a pay offer was rejected.

The strike, which was due to end this weekend, is to be extended by eight days, the Unite union said.

A union spokesman said the action was "a last resort", but Stagecoach said the union was being "unreasonable".

In a statement, the union said action in Barnsley and Rotherham, initially set to run until Saturday 4 December would now resume on Saturday 11 December and end on Saturday 19 December.

Strikes in the Sheffield area, due to end on Sunday 5 December, will resume on Sunday 12 December and continue until Sunday 20 December.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Low pay is the fundamental reason why workers are voting with their feet and leaving the bus sector.

"Stagecoach can afford to offer workers a fair pay rise but it has chosen not to do so."

The union's regional officer Phil Bown said: "The strike action is being taken as a last resort.

"A resolution is in Stagecoach's hands - further industrial action can be avoided if Stagecoach makes a fair pay offer and returns to the negotiating table."

Phil Medlicott, managing director for Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: "We know our employees deserve a good pay rise and have offered employees a total offer of 9% on the current pay rate within six months.

"We feel that's is more than fair and that Unite union is now being unreasonable by not taking this offer back to members to vote upon."

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or send video here.