VICTORY for 3,300 UNITE Bus Drivers and Engineers at National Express who brought the transport system to a halt with a continuous all out strike from 20 March to 25 March. They won an improved offer of 16.2% backdated to 1st Jan plus improved accident pay, overtime and Christmas/new year payments.
Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said: “Following negotiations today(Thurs), National Express put forward an improved pay offer which will be put to our members in a vote over the next two days. Unite will be making no further comments during the ballot period.” Strike action will continue while the ballot is held, with the results known on Saturday 25th March 2023 by 2pm
Indefinite strike action started Monday March 20 as the latest pay offer was rejected by over 70% of UNITE members. Picket 3-30am to 4pm each day at Wolverhampton Garage – Park Lane, Wolverhampton, WV10 9QG. Talks between UNITE and National Express are currently happening.
UNITE has 3,200 bus drivers and 200 engineers at West Midlands Buses, run by National Express.
Pickets at:
Wolverhampton Garage – Park Lane, Wolverhampton, WV10 9QG
Walsall Garage — Carl Street, Walsall, WS2 7BE
West Bromwich Garage – Oak Lane, West Bromwich, B70 8PP
Yardley Wood Garage Yardley Wood Road, Birmingham, B14 4BN
Acocks Green Garage – Fox Hollies Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, B27 7TZ
Birmingham Central Garage – Liverpool Street, Birmingham, B9 4DS
Perry Barr Garage — 157 Aston Lane, Handsworth, Birmingham, B20 3BW
Pensnett Garage – Building 35, Second Avenue, Pensnett Trading Estate, Kingswinford, DY6 7UH
Coventry Garage — 2 Ford Street, Coventry, CV1 5WT
Sulinder Singh UNITE officer speaks on the dispute https://fb.watch/j6_zW6CaSw/
Our affiliated union branch UNITE WM7132 National Express Buses West Midlands, has voted 95.7% in a consultative industrial action ballot on 13th January 2023 to firmly reject the company’s derisory 8% offer.
This in reality was a 6% pay cut based on current RPI inflation of 14%. UNITE will now prepare for a full ballot. National Express Buses West Midlands is one of the biggest bus operator in the West Midlands and one of the largest in the UK.