Pupils hit as bus staff go on strike

School services affected

By Andrew Whitaker political reporter

Published:

STOPPAGE: Stagecoach Bluebird workers will take strike action tomorrow.

PROTEST: Workers at Stagecoach Bluebird have rejected a near 10% pay rise.

THOUSANDS of North-east children could be forced to miss a day at school because of striking Stagecoach Bluebird bus staff who have turned down a 10% pay increase.

Bus services across Aberdeenshire are set to be crippled during tomorrow’s stoppage, after talks over pay involving unions and the Stagecoach Bluebird company broke down.

Parents whose children rely on the company’s fleet of about 40 school contract buses have been told no services will be running.

Aberdeenshire Council has now advised parents to find alternative transport.

The Unite T&G union, which represents drivers and bus depot cleaning staff, claimed thousands of children rely on the buses to get to school every day.

Union members rejected a 9.76 % pay offer over two years – – worth about £1,600 extra a year – from Stagecoach Bluebird.

When asked why members might go on strike despite being offered the rise, Tommy Campbell, Unite T&G regional organiser, said: “The average wage of a bus driver with this company is £17,500 and the depot cleaners only get £5.75 an hour, so the pay is very low to begin with.

“The offer is only 4.5% in the first year, which is below inflation and the company is a very wealthy one.

“There will be picket lines at the depot in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and this will be a solid strike.”

And he said the bus firm should foot the bill for the impact on school children and their parents.

Mr Campbell said: “The issue is one of long-term low wages.

“This action is about trying to bring these wages up to a more reasonable level.

“There needs to be a bigger increase here so that Stagecoach Bluebird employees can catch up with people employed elsewhere.

“For example, bus drivers at Aberdeen First get paid up to £20,000. The only people who get well paid at Stagecoach Bluebird are the shareholders and senior management.

“The responsibility for getting children to school lays with Stagecoach Bluebird and Aberdeenshire Council.

“The council should provide alternative transport for the children during the strike and then bill the company.”

Stagecoach Bluebird announced it would be bringing in 160 staff from across the UK to try to keep commercial services going.

But the company said it was forced to cancel its 125 school run contracts affecting 46 schools and more than 4,000 pupils in Aberdeenshire, as all drivers have to be licensed to transport the children by the local authority.

Stagecoach Bluebird’s managing director Charlie Mullen said: “We have put in place detailed contingency arrangements to ensure we operate as full a service as we possibly can for passengers who rely on our services.”

An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “We have advised parents of pupils transported to and from school by the company to make alternative transport arrangements during the strike.”

Grampian Police roads Chief Inspector Tom Forrester today said: “While we have no plans to put on extra patrols. We will be monitoring the situation and giving extra attention to main routes.

“I would encourage people to expect additional traffic on the roads and to plan their journey accordingly.”

Aberdeen City Council said its school buses would not be affected.

North-east Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone hit out at the “irresponsible” action being taken.

“The union should suspend the strike as it will cause mayhem for parents across Aberdeenshire,” he said.

“It seems to me that the company has made a reasonable offer to the union which should be accepted.

“It is unacceptable that children could potentially miss out on a day’s school because of this irresponsible industrial action.”