Hundreds of bus drivers in the West of England are to stage a month-long strike over pay, with a union warning it will hit those travelling to the Cheltenham Festival.
Members of Unite employed by Stagecoach West throughout Gloucestershire and Wiltshire will launch industrial action from March 10, a few days before the race meeting starts.
Unite said it is pressing for a pay rise in line with the current RPI inflation rate of 7.8%.
General secretary Sharon Graham said: 鈥淯nite has given Stagecoach West every opportunity to make a fair pay offer to avoid strike action but it has failed to do so.
鈥淥ur members at Stagecoach West have made it very clear that they will accept nothing less than a significant pay rise and they have Unite鈥檚 full support in this fight.鈥
Unite said the strike action will affect Stagecoach West鈥檚 services operating from the Bristol, Cheltenham, Coalway, Gloucester, Stroud, and Swindon depots.
Regional officer Shevaun Hunt said: 鈥淥ur members are taking strike action as a last resort because Stagecoach has refused to listen. Industrial action will inevitably cause severe disruption to passengers throughout Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and especially during the Cheltenham Festival.鈥
Unite said there is a growing shortage of bus drivers throughout the 海角视频, with low pay identified as the main reason for workers leave the profession.
A Stagecoach West spokesperson said: 鈥淎round 40% of bus drivers in these areas are not members of Unite and have not voted for strike action.
鈥淚n recent negotiations, Unite has been demanding pay increases of up to 22%, which would put the viability of many community bus routes at risk at the very time they are already under strain.
鈥淲e are committed to giving our people affordable pay rises, on top of the increases we have given over the past two years during the difficult period of the pandemic.
鈥淲e are expecting to hold further talks with Unite in the week ahead and would urge them to work constructively with us to reach a solution that is in the collective best interests of everyone.鈥
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