Latest news with #Unite
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- Business
- The Independent
Stagecoach drivers end strike action after 11.5% pay uplift agreed
Stagecoach bus drivers have ended strike action after accepting a new pay deal. Walkouts by drivers in the west of Scotland have been ongoing since June 9 and were scheduled to last until July 21. The industrial dispute directly impacted Stagecoach West Scotland operations out of depots in Ayr, Arran, Ardrossan and Kilmarnock, servicing passengers across bus routes in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Glasgow. But Unite the union said on Friday it had secured an 11.5% pay uplift for 430 drivers in an 18-month deal. The union said it amounts to an increase, backdated to January, which takes basic hourly pay from £13 per hour to £14 in June this year. From February 2026, the rate will be lifted to £14.50 until July next year when pay negotiations will be renewed. Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: 'Unite's members at Stagecoach West Scotland have stood firm to get an improved pay offer. 'The dispute has been resolved only through the brave stance of the drivers taking strike action. 'This dispute was all about decency and fair pay. Unite will always stand up for our members fighting for better jobs, pay and conditions.' Siobhan McCready, Unite industrial officer, said: 'The drivers were only asking to be paid at a rate similar to other Stagecoach drivers across the UK. 'The pay deal will take our members to a level that represents significant progress from where this dispute started. 'Strike action is now over and our members can get back to doing what they do best, which is to provide a first rate bus service for communities across the west of Scotland.' A spokesperson for Stagecoach said: 'We are pleased that our drivers have voted overwhelmingly to accept the pay deal. 'We want to thank our communities for their patience during the disruptive industrial action earlier this month and we now return our focus to ensuring we deliver our essential services to keep communities in Ayrshire connected.'
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Stagecoach strike over as bus drivers accept pay deal
Hundreds of bus drivers in the west of Scotland have ended strike action after accepting a pay deal from Unite union said the new terms would be worth an 11.5% uplift on basic pay, ending a long-running dispute between unions and the bus operator that affected services in Ayrshire and 430 workers began several weeks of consecutive strike action on 9 June, but halted the walkout on Wednesday after Stagecoach made the new offer. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the drivers had taken "a brave stance" by going on strike. The pay deal amounts to an increase backdated to January, taking basic hourly pay from £13 per hour to £14 in June this February 2026 the rate will be lifted to £14.50 until July 2026 when pay negotiations will take place continuous strike action followed three one-day strikes in May and June, affecting services throughout Ayrshire and Arran. The dispute centred on the union seeking an improvement on a 4% pay rise offer tabled last November - a proposal Unite had described as "unacceptable".Stagecoach claimed an increased offer would risk the viability of services, while the union argued drivers in Ayrshire were among the worst paid in the company. Stagecoach operated a reduced timetable during the days of Graham said the drivers "have stood firm to get an improved pay offer" and the dispute was about "decency and fair pay."Unite industrial officer Siobhan McCready said the deal represented "significant progress" for the announced this week it was ending almost all of its bus services in Dumfries and Galloway - a region not affected by the recent strike - because they were "no longer commercially viable".
Reuters
6 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
UK's Unite says TotalEnergies offshore workers win boost to pay
June 20 (Reuters) - UK's Unite union on Friday said that offshore workers employed by TotalEnergies ( opens new tab had overwhelmingly backed a new pay deal negotiated by Unite. "Around 50 Unite members based on the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms agreed to an enhanced offer which amounts to a 2.25 per cent increase in basic pay alongside a five per cent increase in the offshore allowance," the union added.
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
University staff walk out over calls to return to the office three days a week
More than 300 university workers will go on strike on Friday over demands to return to the office three days a week. University of Liverpool employees – who receive a guaranteed, inflation-linked pension for life, along with a generous tax-free lump sum – will walk out on Friday and Saturday to coincide with the university's open days. Members of the Unite union accused the university's leadership of 'riding roughshod' over the 'well-being and personal lives' of staff members. Current rules dictate that employees in administrative roles must come into work two days a week, but bosses are demanding staff attend in-person for three days. A University of Liverpool spokesman said the new requirement for staff to be in attendance 60pc of the working week is 'intended to strike the right balance as a face-to-face higher education provider'. They added: 'It will both enhance the experience of campus for our students and improve the impact colleagues have in their roles by spending more time together, whilst retaining the benefits and positives which staff value about working remotely.' But the changes have come in for criticism from the 340 staff members poised to walk out on Friday. One staff member said: 'It takes me 15 minutes on the train, but 45 minutes walking to get to campus. Now I'm hybrid working, I have to carry a backpack with all my work gear which can weigh up to 10kg due to laptop, headphones, lunch and anything else required for a day away from home. 'By the time I've finished two days on campus, I am so tired physically and mentally that I'm good for nothing the following day.' Unite said university managers have begun scheduling more in-person meetings ahead of the rule change. Unite regional officer, Sam Marshall, said: ' Strike action will cause huge disruption across the university campus, but this is entirely the fault of university management which has refused to listen to its workers and openly negotiate. 'The University of Liverpool leadership can stop the planned industrial action by being willing to negotiate in good faith.' Industrial action in Liverpool comes after staff in Edinburgh walked out this month. They went on strike amid disputes over senior management's plans to cut £140m from the university's annual budget, and its refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. As university employees go on strike, students are being saddled with ever-increasing debt after finishing their degrees. Figures from the Student Loans Company show loan balances were £5,000 higher in 2024-25 than the year before, with the average coming in at £53,000. Strikes from university staff come after civil servants threatened to not to work over new rules demanding more in-office working. Civil Service heads of department have reiterated a minimum office working threshold of 60pc for officials, with senior managers expected to exceed this amount. The so-called '60:40 rule' was introduced by the Conservative government in November 2023 and, at the time, was opposed by unions. The Labour government indicated it might change the policy when it came to office in July, but has stuck with it. The University of Liverpool said 'individual adjustments can be made where necessary' for staff members with personal circumstances which hinder a 60:40 model. A spokesman said: 'Formal consultation with our recognised trade unions has taken place in line with our agreed procedures and, while agreement was not reached, dialogue has been maintained to try to resolve the remaining areas of concern raised.'
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Dozens of jobs could be axed at major Scots construction firm
Union bosses have called for the government to intervene 'IMMEDIATE RISK' Dozens of jobs could be axed at major Scots construction firm Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DOZENS of people are at risk of losing their job at a major Scottish construction firm. Road workers at Amey SW Trunk Roads are in danger of being made redundant. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Around 100 people are working on the road maintenance contract are in danger of losing their jobs Credit: Alamy A Transport Scotland funded contract for the firm is set to come to an end. Around 100 staff across Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway are employed on the job working on road repairs. Trade union chiefs at Unite say they have been told the 100 jobs are at "immediate risk". They have now called on the Scottish Government to try and save workers from redundancy. Unite's industrial officer, David McGurk, said: "Unite has been informed by Amey that up to 100 jobs are at immediate risk. 'The workers are currently employed on a road maintenance contract funded by Transport Scotland and directly supported by the Scottish Government across Dumfries and Galloway, and Ayrshire. 'Unite will do all we can to support these highly skilled workers who are ensuring that our nation's infrastructure is safe, reliable and up to the highest possible standard. 'We have asked Fiona Hyslop, the cabinet secretary for transport and infrastructure, for action from the government to ascertain what can be done to save these jobs including an immediate review of the contracts awarded to Amey.' Amey has said a "small number" of workers will be impacted by the contract ending and that a number of workers are set to be offered voluntary redundancies. A spokesperson for Amey told STV News: 'Due to the changing needs in the delivery of the service we have reviewed the operational structure of the business. Families can get FREE washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 payments this summer – and you can apply now "As a result, Amey has entered a 45-day consultation process with a number of employees on our south west Scotland network management contract. 'A very small proportion of employees will be impacted with most of these achieved through the offer of voluntary redundancy. 'We will continue to deliver value for money services and will work closely with all affected employees and trade union representatives to ensure the consultation is fair, transparent, and supportive.' A spokesperson from Transport Scotland said: 'We have been made aware of the situation at Amey and are awaiting further details of the confidential process they are currently undertaking. 'It is essential that a robust level of service is maintained as part of our maintenance contract in the South West trunk road unit.'
