Commuters in Dundee face weeks of journey distress as a bus firm slashes its timetables amid a walkout by staff.
Round 200 Xplore Dundee staff primarily based on the metropolis’s East Dock Avenue depot will strike for 12 weeks from Monday, Unite confirmed on Friday after final ditch talks with the bus agency failed to offer a breakthrough.
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The bus firm has warned the strike will imply most providers will run to a modified Sunday timetable – with providers working each 30 to 60 minutes through the day on its core routes.
Some providers, together with Dundee and Fife faculty buses, will probably be suspended, the agency stated, however some further early morning journeys had been added for these travelling to work, together with these to and from Ninewells Hospital.
Solely the service to Edinburgh Airport is working as regular, with a bus each 90 minutes.
Dougie Maguire, Unite regional coordinating officer, stated: “The one factor that can forestall strike motion from taking place is that if the corporate considerably enhance their pay supply. It truly is that easy.
“Both the corporate worth their staff and are ready to pay them to going charge, which they will nicely afford, or they as a substitute need strike motion.”
Staff concerned within the strike – which was backed by 93% of those that took half within the poll – embrace drivers, responsibility managers, platform and admin workers.
Unite members had rejected a 7% rise, which the union stated had not been improved, and that discussions on the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) on Friday made no progress.
Mr Maguire stated: “Xplore Dundee administration in a final ditch try to cease the upcoming strike motion sought talks with us via Acas.
“It was a cynical transfer on the final day potential once they have had months to resolve this dispute.”
Forward of Monday’s strike, Unite claimed its members had fallen behind those that work at different related bus corporations throughout Tayside and Fife.
The union claimed staff in different corporations loved extra aggressive charges of pay, and have entry to additional time pay and an organization sick pay scheme.
Staff had just lately supported hanging at Xplore Dundee. Some 93% of the 88.6% who took half within the poll backed the walkout.
The corporate has been approached for remark.
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