Unite analysis shows bus workers in the North East earning far less than elsewhere
Workers at the Go North East bus company are stepping up their campaign for better pay and conditions with an all-out continuous strike from 28 October as new research from Unite, Britain’s leading trade union, shows they are among the lowest paid bus workers in the country.
Over 1,300 Unite members are currently taking part in a second week of industrial action due to end on Friday but they announced last week that a new, continuous, strike would begin later in October.
The average wage for a driver at Go North East is just £12.83 per hour yet drivers at Go North West earn £15.53 per hour. Workers in Newcastle and Sunderland would require a pay rise of over 20 per cent to earn the same as those in Manchester. This equates to a loss of £105 per week on a 39-hour week or £5,475 per year. Additional research by Unite shows that the pay of Go North East workers has actually fallen by five per cent in real terms since 2018.
Meanwhile, the highest paid director at Go North East was paid £185,000 in 2022. This is six times the pay of the average employee. Go North East is part of the wider Go Ahead Group of companies. Their last accounts show their bus division made profits of nearly £85million[2].
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said “It is as plain for all to see that workers at Go North East are being given a raw deal compared to their colleagues, doing the same jobs and working for the same organisation on the other side of the country in Greater Manchester.
“Meanwhile Go Ahead reaps massive profits, pays its CEO a huge salary and then pleads poverty. The sums just don’t add up. Our members aren’t asking for the moon– they just want a fair day’s pay. And Unite will be backing them every step of the way.”
Unite regional officer Mark Sanderson added: “Why should workers in the North East get a worse deal than those in the North West working for Go Ahead? Our members will not back down in their fight for better pay and we would urge the company to come back to the table with an offer that brings fairness to the pay and conditions of our members. They are the ones to blame for the disruption that will be caused by further strikes.”
RE: Go North East - 2023 Pay Deal and Industrial Action