Greater Manchester bus strikes suspended
Unite the Union pauses industrial action as drivers vote on latest deal
Most bus services across Greater Manchester will run as normal this weekend, after Unite the Union suspended strike action planned for Friday 10th, Saturday 11th and Monday 13th October.
The industrial action, which involved staff at Metroline and Stagecoach, has been paused at the eleventh hour, while union members vote on a new pay offer from the operators.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Mayor Andy Burnham have been closely involved in discussions aimed at securing a fair resolution.
Andy Burnham said:
“Bus drivers are critical to the success of the Bee Network and we value what they do to keep Greater Manchester moving.
“We’ve been working hard to get to this point and are pleased Unite has called off this weekend’s strikes. We are hopeful that an agreement between operators and the union can be reached quickly to avoid further action.
“It’s important that both our passengers and the people who work on the Bee Network benefit from local control of public transport. We’re confident that, with the changes we’ve already made and more we’ve got planned, we’re making Greater Manchester one of the best places in the country to be a bus driver.”
TfGM says the 190 bus routes expected to be affected will now run as normal, though there could still be some minor disruption due to the timing of the announcement.
Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s Chief Network Officer, said:
“This positive announcement means that the 190 bus routes we expected to be disrupted should now run as normal. Given the timing of the decision, there may still be limited disruption on some bus services across Greater Manchester this weekend.
“We’re therefore still advising people to plan ahead and check the latest status of their service before they travel. We suggest people leave plenty of time for their journey and get in touch with us if they have any questions.”
TfGM highlighted that the Bee Network’s local control has allowed it to invest in a new bus fleet, improve staff facilities, and launch the Licence for Greater Manchester to support driver career progression. Work is also underway on a Bee Network pension scheme for all operator staff.