Go North East bus workers accept strike-ending pay offer

An indefinite bus strike that caused disruption across north-east England for more than a month is over now bus workers have accepted a pay offer.

About 1,400 Go North East staff walked out in a dispute over pay on 28 October, hitting almost every service.

A total of 1,407 workers, including drivers, office staff and engineers, voted and 749 accepted the offer, while 658 rejected the deal.

Bus services will return to normal from Saturday, Go North East said.

It announced that travel will be free across its entire network for seven days until the end of 8 December.

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon, who also chairs the influential North East Joint Transport Committee, welcomed the incentive.

However, he urged the operator to look closely at "how to regain" public trust, after many would-be passengers were left stranded during the strike, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Go North East's failure to provide bus services during the strike period will have undoubtedly caused lasting damage to people's confidence in using buses," said Mr Gannon.

"And the impact will be profound, worsening the long-term decline in bus use, which was accelerated during the pandemic."

He also called for an overhaul of the commercial bus system.

On Tuesday, Unite recommended to its members that the offer was acceptable.

The two-year deal includes an 11.2% rise from January to July followed by an inflation-linked increase next year, subject to a minimum of 4%.

If the deal had been rejected, continuous action could have been extended until April.

The pay rise will result in an increase for the majority of salaries from £12.83 to £14.27 per hour from January to July.

Pay will go up to a minimum of £14.84 per hour from July next year.

It also includes a 10.5% pay rise backdated to July this year. No changes to existing conditions would be made.

A clear majority of office staff and engineers accepted the deal. But among drivers the vote was closer, with 616 accepting the offer and 609 rejecting it.

Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, said workers "should be congratulated on their victory for better pay".

"They stood together in unity until their employer returned to negotiations and made an improved offer," she said.

Nigel Featham, managing director at Go North East, said: "We're pleased that Unite is ending its strike, allowing us to resume our services from Saturday.

"We look forward to welcoming customers back on board, I am sorry for all the disruption this stoppage has caused and we're relieved to be able to offer a full network once more."

Passengers in Consett, County Durham, told BBC Look North they were relieved.

Kay Fullerton, from AJ's Cutting Edge hairdressers in Consett, also welcomed the news saying that the town felt like it had been in "lockdown again".

"Our little old ladies - the ones who don't drive - they have not been able to get to us," she said.

"They have been relying on taxis and it has been adding another £10 to £15 on to the cost of their hair cut."

Follow BBC North East on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]