AROUND 200 trade union members are set to bring Highland bus services to a stop after an “unacceptable” pay offer, Unite has said.
The trade union said Stagecoach Highlands bus drivers had overwhelmingly voted for strike action in a move which would impact on services in Skye, Orkney, and to the north and west of Inverness.
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Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s Stagecoach bus drivers who provide a vital service across the Scottish Highlands and Islands deserve an improved pay offer.
“The company continues to increase its bank balance at the expense of our members, and this is not acceptable.
“We will back our Stagecoach members all the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
Unite said that the rejected pay offer amounted to 4% from July with a further 2.5% in January 2025.
The initial six months offer was then followed by a 3% pay offer running from July 2025 for one year.
The union further added that the offer would leave drivers one of the poorest paid across Scotland, saying it was “unacceptable” on the back of the company increasing its profits last year.
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Highland Country Buses Limited, which is the name the company is registered under and forms part of the wider Stagecoach Group, recorded profits after tax amounting to £1.7 million in 2023, up from £448,000 in the previous year, the union said.
Unite industrial officer Marc Jackson commented: “In a matter of weeks Stagecoach bus services across the Highlands, Skye and Orkney could come to a halt because of the company’s greed.
“This dispute could be resolved by a fair and reasonable pay offer to our members. We would urge Stagecoach to see sense instead of continuing down a road which will lead to significant disruption for the travelling public.”
A spokesperson for Stagecoach Highlands said: "We have been informed by Unite that members in Stagecoach Highlands have voted to undertake industrial action.
"Our joint negotiating committee of union representatives and management are working hard to reach a fair deal for our team across the region.
"We would like to reassure our passengers that we are doing everything we can to minimise any potential disruption to services, and will provide further updates in due course."
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