Go North East – A protracted bus strike that caused extensive disruption across the north-east of England for over a month is set to conclude as workers have accepted a proposed pay agreement.
Go North East
On October 28, approximately 1,400 Go North East employees initiated a strike, impacting nearly all services due to a pay-related dispute.
Following a vote by 1,407 workers, including drivers, office personnel, and engineers, 749 individuals approved the offer, while 658 opposed it.
Go North East announced that bus services would return to their regular schedule starting this Saturday.
Earlier this week, Unite, the union representing the workers, endorsed the offer, leading to the acceptance by its members.
The proposed two-year agreement encompasses an 11.2% salary increase from January to July, followed by a rise linked to inflation next year, with a minimum of 4%.
Had the offer been declined, the potential for ongoing strikes existed until April.
The approved pay hike will elevate the majority of wages from £12.83 to £14.27 per hour between January and July, reaching a minimum of £14.84 per hour from July next year.
Additionally, the agreement includes a 10.5% retroactive pay increase from July of this year, with no alterations to existing working conditions.