First Bus drivers in Glasgow to receive pay rises after deal agreed

More than 1300 First Bus drivers in Glasgow are set to receive pay rises of up to 21.5% after a deal was secured.

Unite Scotland on Wednesday announced that drivers had accepted the offer after months of negotiations.

The pay rises will be between 6% and 21.5% over the next two years, depending on length of service.

Drivers currently in their second year of service, paid £10.70 per hour, will receive £13 from August next year.

Agreements have been reached on improvements to rosters, unpaid break times and on a shorter working week, including a 12-hours maximum length of shift.

A £300 ‘thank you’ payment is part of a UK-wide agreement.

The union said it had also secured a commitment from First Bus Glasgow to recruit and train additional drivers, having highlighted an increasing number leaving the industry in search of better paid jobs.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said the union has worked hard to secure the best possible result.

“The inflation busting pay deal for many of our drivers in First Glasgow is industry leading,” she said.

“Unite has been working hard over a number of months to secure the best possible result.

“We are determined to improve the job, pay and conditions of our members, and this pay deal should be a benchmark for all other bus companies to follow.”

Wendy Dunsmore, Unite industrial officer, added: “We are delighted to get this pay deal over the line with First Glasgow.

“It will ensure a substantial pay rise for many of our members over the next two years.

“We are particularly pleased that through our negotiations it will now take a driver two years to reach the top pay band instead of five.

“In addition, we have secured a commitment from First Glasgow to implement a shorter working week along with a recruitment and retention drive to ensure that we jointly address the driver shortages being experienced across Glasgow.”

First Glasgow head of operations Paul Clark said: “We’re delighted to be able to introduce this enhanced pay deal, which ramps up pay progression and improves conditions for both new and existing drivers.

“It’s clear that people are keen to become bus drivers and serve their local communities, and it’s therefore important that we make that process as easy as possible and do everything we can to attract new talent to the industry.”

“Our ongoing £4000 joining bonus for existing PCV licence holders, the offer of flexible working patterns, the improvements that our latest pay deal will deliver, as well as the roll out of our state-of-the-art zero emission electric buses, proves that there’s never been a better time to join the First Glasgow family and be part of our journey towards net-zero by 2035.”