UNIONS have deferred a planned bus drivers strike after Translink made a revised pay offer.
Unite the Union and GMB, which represent Ulsterbus and Metro drivers, have postponed strike action due to commence on Monday, and will ballot members on the new pay offer. The unions had submitted a six per cent pay claim in the face of rising inflation.
Translink previously said the company had made a pay offer of three per cent and "an enhanced package of conditions that included a seven per cent increase in weekend and overtime rates along with two extra days holiday".
It is understood that the latest offer includes an additional one-off payment and improved weekend overtime rates, but that Translink has stuck to its three per cent pay offer, which unions had previously branded a "real terms pay cut".
Unite the union deputy Regional Secretary Davy Thompson welcomed the revised offer by Translink employers: “The strike action planned by both Unite and GMB bus drivers would have resulted in the cancellation of all bus services across Northern Ireland from next Monday. Ahead of that eventuality the unions and employers engaged in direct negotiations on the issue of pay.”
Peter Macklin, GMB Regional Organiser said: “As a result of those talks and the revised offer made by the employers, workplace representatives in both unions have decided to defer next week’s planned action and ballot the members. We will make public the results of that process as they become known.”
A Translink spokesperson said: "We have an agreement to defer the planned strike action commencing Monday, 25th April while the bus drivers are balloted on a revised pay offer following further negotiations.
"We welcome this positive step and thank the Unions for their commitment to working together in an effort to build back public transport as a sustainable and better future for all."
