Arriva drivers will continue strike action next week after negotiations between the bus operator and the unions representing workers failed to reach an agreement.
Employees at Arriva have been taking part in 'all-out continuous strike action' since July 20 in a dispute over pay. Depots including Bolton and Manchester have been involved in the industrial action, with union bosses labelling an originally offered pay rise of three per cent as 'pitiful'.
Arriva drivers, represented by the UNITE and GMB unions, said they require a decent pay rise to keep up with rising inflation and the ongoing cost of living crisis. Earlier this week, Arriva said a 'generous' new offer was made of an 8.5 per cent rise, which they said would have been backdated to March.
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This offer was dismissed outright by the unions, who described it as an insult and claimed it was not a new offer because 8.5 per cent had previously been offered by the company.
Arriva bosses have today (August 5) issued an update as the strikes mark their 17th day running. The bus operator said that ongoing negotiations between the company and the unions have continued to stall.
Arriva apologised to customers for the ‘ongoing disruption’, as it called for staff to ‘call an end to inappropriate strike action’.
An Arriva spokesperson said: “Despite further negotiations today and having done all we can to make another improved offer, the Unions have once again chosen to walk away, causing further misery for our passengers.
“At this point, we are left questioning why they refuse to give their members the opportunity to vote on our offers, which would make our drivers the highest paid in the region.
“We would like to apologise to our passengers for the ongoing disruption that this dispute is causing to their everyday lives. On our side, we are acting in good faith and doing all we can to find a resolution. We urge Unite and GMB to do the same, reconsider their position, call an end to inappropriate strike action and give their members the opportunity to ballot on our latest offers.”
Unite the Union said the current strike involves 1,800 of its members who are employed in bus garages operated by Arriva across the North West including in Liverpool and Manchester.
Speaking today, a Unite spokesperson said: "Talks again broke down today as Arriva failed to make an offer which met members' expectations."
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