Members of Unite the Union have informed Stagecoach that its members are planning to take further strike action on 25, 26, 27 and 28 August. 

Services including the 203, 192, and 43 will operate a reduced timetable, running every 15 minutes from 7am to 7pm on the aforementioned days. All other services will not be operating at all, apart from the 201, 219, and a selection of buses in Middleton and Wigan. 

Drivers are striking in response to a lack of back-pay; whilst a 14.3% pay rise was proposed by Stagecoach, Union members opposed the fact that the rise would have been implemented from September, rather than the typical anniversary date for pay rises, which is in June. 

A Stockport-based Unite the Union spokesperson told Nub News: "We'd like the general public to understand that this is not done to inconvenience them.

"Effectively, the company is taking our back pay from us. Any readers that are impacted by this - if they could let the company know they need to pay their drivers fairly, that would be very much appreciated."

Navendu Mishra, MP for Stockport, said he was "proud to support Unite the Union members taking industrial action", adding: "They are standing up for fair pay, and I urge Stagecoach to work with the union to resolve the dispute."

The MP has since written an open letter to Lee Wasnidge, managing director of Stagecoach, encouraging the bus operator to "have urgent and meaningful negotiations with Unite and to agree a deal that is acceptable to drivers". 

In a more recent development, Stagecoach has since banned overtime for its drivers. 

The Unite spokesperson said: "Rather than seek to pacify the union members employed by Stagecoach, the managing director has decided to seek vengeance by banning overtime - relied upon by so many - and shift swaps, meaning anyone with a medical appointment will need to take unpaid leave."

You can find a full list of the affected services on Stagecoach's website HERE.

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