Arriva Bus strikes continue in Merseyside after union reject 'real term pay cut' offer
Today marks the 22nd day in a row of continuous walk outs
Last updated 10th Aug 2022
Bus strikes are set to continue in Merseyside as talks break down between Arriva Bus representatives and trade unions.
This strike affects numerous parts of the region, some of where an Arriva bus is the only available form of public transport.
Arriva Bus staff initially walked out on July 20th after a row over pay and conditions; union members are now preparing to continue their strike into its 23rd day.
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GMB union and Unite say that Arriva bosses have offered an extra 0.4 percent during strike time - to a total pay offer of 8 point 9 percent, with a 250 pound bonus.
The Unions say that this still results in a real terms pay cut.
They also say that in recent talks with Arriva, they were promised an improved offer which was never received.
In response to this ongoing dispute, Arriva North-West released this statement on 5th August: "Despite further negotiations today and having done all we can to make another improved offer, the Unions have once again chosen to walk away, causing further misery for our passengers.
"At this point, we are left questioning why they refuse to give their members the opportunity to vote on our offers, which would make our drivers the highest paid in the region.
"We would like to apologise to our passengers for the ongoing disruption that this dispute is causing to their everyday lives. On our side, we are acting in good faith and doing all we can to find a resolution.
We urge Unite and GMB to do the same, reconsider their position, call an end to inappropriate strike action and give their members the opportunity to ballot on our latest offers."