Leicester Citybus drivers in pay win

Unite wins Leicester Citybus drivers an extra £2,450 this year - and a 13.3 per cent pay deal over two years

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Leicester Citybus drivers are at least £45 a week better off – £2,450 a year – thanks to a pay rise won by their union, Unite said today (June 17).

A two-year deal will see wages rise by 13.3 per cent by 2023 for more than 180 Leicester Citybus drivers, with the first rise backdated to April when members started the process of industrial action.

On top of this, Unite has secured a promise from the company that it will reopen negotiations if the RPI (Retail Price Index) rate of inflation is at 5.5 per cent or more in 10 months’ time. RPI currently stands at 11.1 per cent.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “This deal was won through excellent work by Unite reps and our members’ readiness to take industrial action to win a better deal. It puts an extra £45 a week into our members’ pockets at a time when every penny counts. This is how Unite deals with the cost-of-living crisis, by lifting our members’ pay.”

The deal was accepted by 74 per cent of members in a ballot with a 96.5 per cent turnout.

Unite regional coordinating officer Scott Lennon added, “Unite’s Leicester Citybus negotiating committee should be applauded for achieving this deal.

“Our members organised and stood together – showing the company with one voice that the risks they took to keep services running during the pandemic needed to be recognised.”

By Ryan Fletcher

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