A view from the UNITE side I came across: 

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For people that want to know what we have been putting up with from our so called employers who blame us as drivers for disrupting the public with the strikes...

Strike update:

There's been a lot of mud slinging online about the strike but here's the facts.
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TLDR: - This strike has been 5 month in the making and in that time GNE have attended only 12 DAYS OF TALKS.
Don't blame the drivers.

Blame Go North East and the Go Ahead Group who have allowed the ego of two senior managers cause milions of pounds of damage to the north east.
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Timeline:

May - the union held meetings with workers to decide what they wanted and put together a pay claim that everyone agreed to.

June - the union submitted the play claim which was refused.

June 23rd - GNE sumbit a counter offer including equivalent of Go North West's terms but with woeful pay offer which there is no chance the drivers would accept. Rep's rejected this.

July 1st - the date that the claim should be put into place. At the time RPI was 11.4%.

July 7th - Unite held pay talks with GNE who had failed to produce any new offer and afterwards were described as a waste of time by reps.

July 9th - talks are called off by GNE so Unite call a provisional ballot from workers on if they are prepared to strike. They overwhelmingly vote to strike so official strike procedures start.

July 9th - September 11th - GNE refuse any offer of talks with Rep's as they feel that providing the option to strike is showing a lack of "good faith"

September 12th - workers again vote overwhelmingly to strike. With 97.92% voting to strike and an 83.37% turnout. UNITE submit their intention for 2, week long strikes.

September 25th - GNE finally return to the table but refuse to offer any meaningful changes or even accept the concerns of the workers. Talks continue until the 27th when talks break down.

September 30th - first week long strike takes place. GNE tells reps that they are too busy to meet while striking is taken place.

10th October - GNE tells rep's they are willing to talk on the 11th.

11th October - GNE removes their conditions from their offer which the understanding that they will discuss terms separately over the next three months on a depot by depot basis. This was refused by the reps as it was an attempt to divide the depots and weaken them. Talks collapse.

13th October - UNITE submits intention for indefinite strike from the 28th October.

14th October - second week long strike. Again GNE are too busy to talk while strike action is taking place.

23rd October - talks start again with no movement. Unconfirmed reports are on the 24th GNE offered the same deal but with 10.5% if the Reps agreed to endorse it which they refused.

25th October - "The Watershed Moment" GNE give a final offer of 10.3% [taking drivers to 1p above stagecoach drivers]. Rep's tell GNE that workers will not accept these terms but will put it to ballot to prove it.

GNE releases this deal to the press before rep's are able to inform their workers so most find this out over social media. Press runs that the strike is over and that Unite have agreed the deal. THIS IS CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE.

Unite hold an emergency ballot on this offer.

October 27th
Richard Holden MP (Under secratary for transport and NW Durham MP) Stands up in Parliament and announces GNE & Unite have come to an agreement. He was incorrect. As was his source.

October 27th - workers again overwhelmingly reject this offer with 81% and a 93% turnout.

October 28th - workers are back on the picket line on indefinite strike.  Conditions have caused this,,, they say no conditions, but make the condition that conditions will be discussed / implemented over the next 3 months, depot by depot.

Also no driver wants a 2 year deal / con.
It needs to be a one year deal, end of.
Hope this helps.

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