Staff furious that they continue to be short-changed
by profiteering bus company
Bus strikes are set to begin across Wales as workers at First
Cymru have rejected the latest pay offer from the company.
Unite members voted heavily to reject the new offer tabled by the
employer, which had resulted in the good will suspension of
strike action initially planned for October 22. However, members
have overwhelmingly rejected the offer which still withheld
members' back pay.
Strike action declared for the 30 and 31 of
October, and 1 and 2 of
November will now go ahead, causing significant
disruption to the bus network within South West Wales. Additional
strike action declared for November 5, 6, 7 and
8 will also take place, and members have indicated
a willingness to escalate this dispute with further action
throughout the Christmas period.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “First is
guilty of trying to deny workers the back pay they are fully
entitled to, in order to line its own pockets.
“Our members have
roundly rejected this latest offer which denies them pay justice
and they have Unite's complete support throughout this
dispute.”
First Cymru already pay some of the lowest wages in the industry.
The company also pays new recruits an even lower wage for 12
months creating a two-tier workforce that breeds unhappiness
among staff.
First Cymru is part of the First Group transport network. In the
last financial year First Group made over £200 million profit and
paid its chief executive over £3 million.
Unite members have been clear that the pay offer is unacceptable.
The announcement of the uplift in the Real Living Wage for 2026
to £13.45 has shown workers that their employer is wholly
undervaluing their roles. When workers look at the pay rates at
other operators in Wales, or at First Bus in Bristol, they are up
to £3 per hour worse off. Workers across the sector, and drivers
in particular do an incredibly difficult job and the withholding
of the full value of back pay is now angering workers.
Unite regional coordinating officer Alan McCarthy
said: Communities across South Wales will now
face bus chaos but their anger should be directed at profiteering
bus bosses who are seeking to short-change our
members.”
Notes to editors
Depots affected by the strikes are located in: Swansea,
Port Talbot, Bridgend, Carmarthen, Haverford West and
Ammanford
