Rotherham bus strike on hold from Wednesday after new pay offer made

Members of the Unite union who work for Stagecoach are now considering a new pay offer made during talks with the company mediated by the conciliation service Acas.

Drivers in Rotherham, Barnsley and Sheffield have all been on strike since the New Year weekend but those in Barnsley and Rotherham will be back at the wheel from Wednesday, although the industrial action in Sheffield will continue.

Acas talks between Unite and Stagecoach will continue tomorrow with the focus of resolving the Sheffield dispute.

Unite regional officer Phil Bown said: “Unite’s Stagecoach members in Barnsley and Rotherham will suspend strike action from Wednesday and vote on the deal put forward by Stagecoach.

“We will be making no further comment until the vote is finalised.

“Negotiations on behalf of our Stagecoach members in Sheffield are still ongoing however and will continue tomorrow.

“There will be no suspension of strike action in Sheffield until an offer is put forward that our members could find acceptable.”

Managing director of Stagecoach Yorkshire, Phil Medlicott said: “We’re pleased to have held positive talks with Unite, supported by the arbitration service ACAS, and have jointly reached agreement on a new pay deal for our employees at Barnsley and Rawmarsh.

“The positive talks, which have come about as a result of both Stagecoach and Unite showing flexibility and working together to agree a new deal, will mean that the planned strike action impacting services from Rawmarsh and Barnsley has been suspended, which is great news for our local communities”.