On 29 January we brought you the news that bus drivers employed by Stagecoach North West, operating in Lancashire and Cumbria, had rejected their pay deal following the result of a Union ballot with 266 against the proposed deal and 66 for it.
Another ballot will take place on 22 February with the result made public on 25 February. The deal will see a 2 year 'no strings' pay deal with increases every 6 months, equivalent to 11.2% for "conventional" drivers and 12.5% for "minibus" drivers.
Whereas before "conventional" drivers were offered £0.32 increase in pay over 1 year, the current offer equates to £0.85 over two years (£0.32 for "minibus" drivers in the rejected deal over 1 year, now £0.90 over two years).
We estimate that by the end of the two-year staggered implementation deal, should it be accepted, "conventional" drivers will be paid £8.45 per hour and "minibus" drivers £8.08. That is assuming the percentage increases Unite have given us have been worked out correctly.
