Strike action called off after First Glasgow bus engineers agree to new pay deal

Strike action has been called off after First Glasgow bus engineers agreed to a new pay deal.

Workers had been due to strike on November 16 and 17 in a dispute over pay.

However, the 150 engineers who maintain and repair the company’s buses have now agreed to a new deal.

Members of the Unite union backed the new offer by 92%, which will see the hourly wage increase by a minimum of 17.6% by April 2024.

The pay deal will initially increase wages from £15.31 to £17.50, and thereafter to a minimum of £18 per hour in April 2024. This equates to a minimum income rise of over £5,000.

The engineers are employed by First Glasgow (No1) and First Glasgow (No2) who are part of First Group PLC’s bus operations in Scotland. The workers are based in various bus depots across Greater Glasgow including Blantyre, Caledonia, Dumbarton, Overtown and Scotstoun.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary said: “Unite’s engineers at First Bus across Greater Glasgow have secured an excellent new pay deal. We said all along that this is a company which can well afford to make a fair pay offer and this proved to be the case.”

The dispute is separate from one brought by around 1,200 First bus drivers, who are also demanding an uplift in pay.

Bus drivers voted by 99% in support of strike action, with a turnout of 77%.

Strikes are due to take place over the busy Black Friday shopping weekend, from Friday November 24 to Friday December 1.

It comes as First Glasgow (No1) reported profits after tax year ending March 26 2022 of £3.96m, whereas First Glasgow (No 2) reported a profit of £362,000.

Ms Graham said: “We now urge First Bus management to urgently revisit their pay offer to our 1,200 drivers and settle that dispute through negotiations. If they do not, then Unite will fully support our members all the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

Pat McIlvogue, Unite industrial officer, added: “Unite has won a major pay increase for our engineering members at First Bus. It will lift the basic hourly wage up to a minimum of £18 an hour. All along we have said our members have been underpaid and undervalued for years while First Bus stockpiled millions in its bank account. We are pleased to have resolved this dispute through negotiation and ahead of scheduled strike action.”

First Glasgow declined to comment.