Go North East bus driver strikes to end
Services will be back up and running as normal from Sat 2nd Dec.
Last updated 1st Dec 2023
The devastating Go North East bus strike is finally over, after weeks of public transport misery that has hit millions of journeys.
Staff at the major bus operator have voted to accept a new pay deal that was struck earlier this week, following seven weeks of strike action in the past two months that has shut down services across the region.
The Unite union confirmed on Friday lunchtime that its 1,300 members had decided to take an 11.2% pay increase offer that was tabled by Go North East during negotiations on Monday, following a ballot held over recent days.
That result will come as a huge relief to passengers who have been left stranded during the bitter industrial dispute.
Normal service is now set to resume on Saturday across Go North East routes, which usually carry an estimated 175,000 people every day.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“Go North East workers should be congratulated on their victory for better pay. They stood together in unity until their employer returned to negotiations and made an improved offer. Make no mistake, Unite Is here to fight for workers, I will do whatever is needed to help workers secure good pay deals, that commitment has been clearly demonstrated during this dispute.
“Unite the union keeps winning across the passenger transport sector and securing better pay for our members.”
Friday’s resolution comes at the end of the union’s fifth consecutive week of strike action, which followed two previous seven-day walkouts in October.
The industrial action has crippled the vast majority of Go North East’s services and prompted widespread concerns over people being stuck at home, unable to get to work, education, or medical appointments.
The enormous impact has been keenly felt across the region, but particularly in areas such as Washington and Houghton-le-Spring that are heavily reliant on Go North East routes.
In a previous ballot, Unite members overwhelmingly rejected a 10.3% pay rise offer from the company. Go North East had insisted that was a “fair deal” that would have made its drivers the best-paid in the region.
The union had been calling for a pay 13% increase, but has also complained that bus drivers at Go North West currently earn an average hourly wage that is more than £5,000-a-year higher than their North East counterparts.
Transport Leaders have expressed relief as it was announced that the Go North East industrial action is set to end and local bus services will resume on Saturday 2 December.
Responding to the deal that ends the bus strikes at Go North East, Independent North of Tyne Mayor, Jamie Driscoll said:
“The past few weeks have been extremely tough – passengers have been left inconvenienced and out of pocket, which I highlighted in my recent meetings with both Unite and Go North East.
“As regional Mayor I was keen to get this resolved as soon as possible. I’m glad we managed to get Go North East back to the negotiating table to hammer out a deal.
“Unite’s campaign has delivered for its members. North East workers deserve a fair pay deal –why should people in Manchester be getting £5,000 a year more for doing the same job at the same company. There is no way that workers in Newcastle and Sunderland are worth £5000 less than workers in Manchester and Warrington.
“With the new devolved transport powers, I’ll look to bring the buses back under public control and prevent disputes like this in the future.”
The North East Joint Transport Committee has welcomed the news that the situation has been resolved and encouraged local people to get back onboard following the launch of new affordable fares and improvements across the network in recent weeks.
Cllr Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “It is great news that this industrial dispute has been resolved and buses will serve our communities once again.
“I hope local people get back on the bus without delay – especially in the run up to the busy Christmas period. I understand that Go North East will be making travel free for the next seven days which is a move that I welcome and support.
“Once that offer has ended, bus travel is still great value - earlier this year we brought in a £1 single bus fare for young people aged 21 and under which is still available – now with a £3 cap for unlimited travel by bus, Metro and Ferry across the entire North East. These fares are great value and have already generated over 5 million sustainable journeys while also helping to open up many new opportunities for our region’s young people.
“We also recently launched new adult fares for unlimited travel by bus, Metro and Ferry across the entire region for £6.80, alongside local versions for travel wholly within County Durham for £4, wholly within Northumberland for £5, and wholly within Tyne and Wear for £6. Combined with investment to speed up buses with more bus lanes and priority at key traffic junctions, greener electric vehicles and better bus information, we hope this will encourage more people back onboard in the coming days.
During the strike the Committee made repeated calls for the operator to resolve the situation which has isolated entire communities from public transport and greatly impacted local businesses. Estimates suggest that around 5 million bus journeys were lost during the strike, and around half of those couldn’t be taken by any other means, greatly restricting opportunities for residents.
Cllr Gannon acknowledged the harm the strike action has caused to the local economy and public confidence in public transport and said: “Go North East’s failure to provide bus services during the strike period will have undoubtedly caused lasting damage to peoples’ confidence in using buses, and the impact will be profound, worsening the long-term decline in bus use which was accelerated during the pandemic.
“I sincerely hope that the operator now looks closely at how to regain the trust of the public. I have long held the view that the current commercial bus system - which removed the ability of local councils to regulate or control bus services - is wrong and works against the needs and wants of local communities and passengers. The new Mayoral Combined Authority will have powers to deliver bus services differently – and this is already happening in Manchester. I have asked for a report into the options and I and my fellow Leaders and Mayors will be looking at them very closely indeed.”