More than 1,000 bus workers on services in Brighton, Hove, Crawley and Gatwick Airport have voted to strike over pay.
Unite members at Brighton & Hove Buses and the Metrobus Crawley company, owned by the Go-Ahead Group, rejected a pay offer of 3.5%, which the union’s general secretary Sharon Graham said was “insulting”.
Strike action, agreed in a ballot of 1,300 workers, is expected to take place on 6 and 15 October.
The Go-Ahead Group has been asked to comment.
Ms Graham said: “This is an insulting pay offer – our members aren’t asking for a King’s ransom.
“Our members have Unite’s unwavering support in their campaign for a fair pay deal.”
Unite regional officer Janet Nobbs said: “Our members do an incredibly stressful job, driving at all times of day and night, in all weathers throughout the year.
“They keep Brighton and Crawley’s workers and students moving. Yet the company has seen fit to try to impose a real terms pay cut which is simply unacceptable.
“Unless the company comes back to the table with a dramatically improved offer our members will have been left with no option but to take strike action.”
She accused the company of a “penny-pinching approach to workforce relations”.
Credits: Gatwick Airport
