Bus services face 'severe disruption' as Stagecoach North East drivers vote to strike over pay
Action scheduled for Monday 18 August and Thursday 21 August was initially postponed as members of Unite the Union were consulted on an offer to increase pay by 5% over two years.
It has since been rejected by 600 workers, meaning the strike will now go ahead. Unite say the offer does not offer workers the same level of pay as colleagues working in the North West.
Unite regional officer Dave Telford said: 'There will be severe disruption to bus services across Newcastle and Tyne and Wear but this is entirely the fault of Stagecoach for failing to put forward an acceptable offer.
"There is still time for industrial action to be avoided but that will require Stagecoach tabling a deal its workers can accept.'
It will mainly affect services in Newcastle, where drivers and engineers have voted to strike. Engineers at the depots in South Shields and Sunderland have also opted for industrial action.
Unite have added that strike action would intensify if the dispute was not resolved.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the latest offer "undervalued" Stagecoach workers.
She added: "Stagecoach is a profitable company and can afford to improve the deal. The workers will receive Unite's full backing during these pay strikes.'
Stagecoach have said there will be a reduced service in Newcastle over the two days with passengers urged to plan their journeys in advance.
Steve Walker, managing director of Stagecoach North East, said: "We are disappointed that our latest offer increasing the drivers' pay by 5% over the course of the year has been rejected by drivers and engineers at our two Newcastle depots and by engineers at our Sunderland and South Shields depots.
'Our proposal was above inflation, and met the Unions aspiration that the final rate was 5% higher. Newcastle drivers are already the highest paid in the region compared to other large operators and have been awarded pay rises in previous years that were well above inflation.
'It is also worth reiterating that their current demands would see additional costs passed onto customers. Stagecoach buses are one of the most cost-effective, accessible and convenient ways to travel around the city, so this is something that we are absolutely keen to keep to a minimum.
'We remain committed to ensuring that drivers do receive an affordable pay increase. This strike action will cause unnecessary disruption across our Newcastle-based communities, and we urge the trade union members and Unite the Union to reconsider their position.
'We will do everything possible to minimise the impact of the planned industrial action, but there will be a reduced bus service across Newcastle on Monday 18 and Thursday 21 August. All other services in the North East and Tees Valley regions will continue to operate as normal.
'All service information will be available on the Stagecoach app.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Man takes sleeper train to Cornwall but price is 'insane'
Man takes sleeper train to Cornwall but price is 'insane' George Kimm, a UK travel and food content creator, took the Great Western Railway (GWR) Night Riviera from London Paddington to Penzance and shared his experience on Instagram A Great Western Railway (GWR) Hitachi train waits at Penzance station (Image: Greg Martin / Cornwall Live) Cornwall, with its sandy beaches, stunning coastline, ample surfing opportunities and dramatic cliffs, is widely recognised as the UK's most beautiful county. Not only do locals adore this South West paradise, but it also attracts visitors from across the country. One such tourist is George Kimm, a UK travel and food content creator. George journeyed from London to Cornwall on an overnight sleeper train, documenting his experience on Instagram. He boarded the Great Western Railway (GWR) Night Riviera, which departs from London Paddington and arrives in Penzance the following morning, with the total journey taking just over eight hours. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here The travel enthusiast shared his candid review of the experience. However, one detail that caught his Instagram followers off guard was the cost. George booked a "very cosy" solo cabin on the train, equipped with a single bed, a table that doubled as a sink, a wardrobe, and under-bed storage, which he found "very useful". GWR also provided some amenities, including soap, reports Cornwall Live. Article continues below George pointed out that the toilets are located outside the cabins. But aside from that, he felt the train company "really had thought of everything else". The London-based content creator added: "Before we left London Paddington I had a look in the onboard bar where you can sit down, relax. "They also provide free tea and coffee with biscuits and when it comes to going to sleep, I actually had a really good experience." After getting settled and having a look around, George watched the train depart from the station before heading to bed. He revealed that he loved the sounds and motion of the train, as they lulled him to sleep. A man shared his experience travelling on an overnight sleeper train from London to Cornwall (stock photo) (Image: Greg Martin/Cornwall Live) When George awoke the following morning, he had breakfast, which came included with his cabin. He chose a cup of tea and a sausage bap, commenting that it was "very delicious". The travel enthusiast added: "And it was so lovely to have my breakfast whilst watching the countryside whizz by." He concluded his Instagram reel by disclosing the cost of his journey and cabin, stating: "My ticket cost £119 and an additional £149 for the cabin." George believed it was "such a cool experience" falling asleep in London and awakening in Cornwall. He felt that it was "honestly so worth it" and something that he would certainly do again. The Instagram post has amassed an incredible one million views, thousands of likes and more than 400 comments. One user observed: "£75 return to Paris, just saying." George responded: "Totally get it. This was a bucket list trip." Another commented: "Looks fun but the price is insane." A third astonished viewer questioned: "Omg... how much?". Someone else even branded the price as "criminal." Despite the steep price, some viewers found positives, with one remarking: "This looks like a great experience but it's very costly for a return journey. I guess the benefit is both journeys are during the night so you aren't losing out on any holiday time." Another chimed in: "Would love to do this! ! Honestly would see the cost as part of the holiday, so special." Passengers on the Great Western Railway Night Riviera can secure an airline-style seat at no additional cost when they book a train ticket, and prices for a single cabin start from £49 per customer. Article continues below
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Air Canada suspends restart plans after union defies return-to-work order
Air Canada said it suspended plans to restart operations on Sunday after the union representing 10,000 flight attendants said it would defy a return-to-work order. The Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered airline staff back to work by 2pm on Sunday after the government intervened and Air Canada said it planned to resume flights Sunday evening. Advertisement Canada's largest airline now says it will resume flights Monday evening. Air Canada said in a statement that the union 'illegally directed its flight attendant members to defy a direction from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board'. People wait outside an Air Canada check-in at Vancouver International Airport (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP) 'Our members are not going back to work,' Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) national president Mark Hancock said earlier on Sunday outside Toronto's Pearson International Airport. 'We are saying no.' Advertisement The federal government did not immediately provide comment on the union refusing to return to work. Mr Hancock said the 'whole process has been unfair' and said the union would challenge what it called an unconstitutional order. 'Air Canada has really refused to bargain with us and they refused to bargain with us because they knew this government would come in on their white horse and try and save the day,' he said. A man tries to check in to his Air Canada flight at Vancouver International Airport (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP) The federal government did not immediately provide comment on the union refusing to return to work. Advertisement The country's largest airline had said early on Sunday in a release that the first flights would resume later in the day but that it would take several days before its operations returned to normal. It said some flights would be cancelled over the next seven to 10 days until the schedule was stabilised. Less than 12 hours after workers walked off the job, federal jobs minister Patty Hajdu ordered the 10,000 flight attendants back to work, saying now was not the time to take risks with the economy and noting the unprecedented tariffs the US had imposed on Canada. Ms Hajdu referred the work stoppage to the Canada Industrial Relations Board. Advertisement People sleep under a flight information board at Vancouver International Airport (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP) The airline said the Canada Industrial Relations Board had extended the term of the existing collective agreement until a new one was determined by the arbitrator. The shutdown of Canada's largest airline early on Saturday was impacting about 130,000 people a day. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day. According to numbers from aviation analytics provider Cirium, Air Canada cancelled a total of 494 flights on Sunday morning. This was in addition to the hundreds of flights it cancelled in the previous days. Advertisement The bitter contract fight escalated on Friday as the union turned down Air Canada's prior request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which allows a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract. Air Canada Suspends Plans to Restart Operations after CUPE Defies CIRB Directive to Return to Work: — Air Canada (@AirCanada) August 17, 2025 Flight attendants walked off the job around 1am Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday. Around the same time, Air Canada said it would begin locking flight attendants out of airports. Ms Hajdu said that her Liberal government was not anti-union, saying it was clear the two sides were at an impasse. Passengers whose flights were impacted would be eligible to request a full refund on the airline's website or mobile app, according to Air Canada. The airline said it would also offer alternative travel options through other Canadian and foreign airlines when possible. Still, it warned that it could not guarantee immediate rebooking because flights on other airlines were already full 'due to the summer travel peak'. An Air Canada agent, left, speaks to a man at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP) Air Canada and CUPE have been in contract talks for about eight months, but they have yet to reach a tentative deal. Both sides have said they remain far apart on the issue of pay and the unpaid work flight attendants do when planes are not in the air. The airline's latest offer included a 38% increase in total compensation, including benefits and pensions, over four years, that it said 'would have made our flight attendants the best compensated in Canada'. But the union pushed back, saying the proposed 8% raise in the first year did not go far enough because of inflation.
The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
Air Canada flight attendants to defy back-to-work order and remain on strike
Air Canada's flight attendants plan to remain on strike, their union has said, defying government efforts to force them back to work and into binding arbitration over a dispute that has left more than 100,000 travellers stranded around the world during the peak summer travel season. About 10,000 flight attendants who work for Canada's largest airline walked out on the job early on Saturday amid an increasingly bitter dispute over what the union has described as 'poverty wages' and unpaid labour. Around the same time, Air Canada, which operates about 700 flights a day, said it would begin locking flight attendants out of airports. Less than 12 hours later, the Canadian government said it had ordered an end to the work stoppage, leading Air Canada to announce plans to resume flying by Sunday evening. However, that timeline was thrown into question after the union told Reuters it would challenge the return-to-work order, which it described as unconstitutional. It was the latest twist in talks that have dragged on since March as the flight attendants seek to address the fact that they are not compensated for work carried out when planes are not in the air, whether it is time spent on the ground between flights and or helping passengers to board. On Saturday, Canada's federal jobs minister, Patty Hajdu, said it was clear the talks had reached an impasse and that the impact was being felt by Canadians and visitors across the country. 'The talks broke down,' said Hajdu as she told reporters that she had asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order an immediate end to the strike and to impose binding arbitration. 'It is clear that the parties are not any closer to resolving some of the key issues that remain and they will need help with the arbitrator.' She appeared to link her actions to the toll that US tariff increases had taken on the Canadian economy. 'In a year in which Canadian families and businesses have already experienced too much disruption and uncertainty, this is not the time to add additional challenges and disruptions to their lives and our economy,' she said in a statement. Hajdu's power to halt the strike stems from a section of the Canada Labour Code, which gives the minister unilateral authority to end work stoppages in order to 'maintain or secure industrial peace'. While the section was rarely used by previous governments, the Liberal government has invoked it several times in the past year, quelling strikes by workers at Canadian ports, the post office and railway companies, prompting analysts to voice concerns that the use of the clause may be undermining workers' rights. The union representing the flight attendants decried the Liberal government for stepping in within hours, accusing it of violating their right to take job action. Air Canada had reportedly previously requested that the government intervene to impose binding arbitration. Wesley Lesosky, of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said the government was giving 'Air Canada exactly what they want – hours and hours of unpaid labour from underpaid flight attendants, while the company pulls in sky-high profits and extraordinary executive compensation'. According to the aviation analytics firm Cirium, the airline had cancelled 671 flights by Saturday afternoon, leaving some travellers stranded overseas and others scrambling to find alternatives during the busy summer travel season. About 130,000 customers a day could be affected by a disruption, according to the airline. The airline said earlier it had offered its flight attendants 'an increase of more than 38% on global compensation', but the union said the figure failed to fully account for inflation. Air Canada also said it was willing to pay flight attendants 50% of their wage for work done before planes take off, leading the union to reply that its members should be fully compensated for their labour. About 70% of the airline's flight attendants are women, said Natasha Stea, a local union president and flight attendant. She questioned whether they were being treated fairly, given that Air Canada pilots, the vast majority of whom are men, received a significant raise last year. 'We are heartbroken for our passengers,' she told the Associated Press late last week. 'Nobody wants to see Canadians stranded or anxious about their travel plans, but we cannot work for free.'
