Welsh Bus Win

Bus drivers across South Wales are celebrating a pay win after securing an above-inflation award following strike action across the network.

Unite members had been locked in a bitter struggle with their employer First Cymru, which resulted in drivers resorting to eight days of strike action to highlight the low levels of pay they were receiving.

Drivers had been left with little choice then to escalate strike action, however their resolve resulted in bringing the employer back to the table and on Friday (28 November), workers accepted a new offer from the company that will see them get a five per cent increase backdated to 1 April. 

This deal will see drivers’ pay move to £14.25 per hour now and then rising progressively to £15 per hour from 1 Jan 2027.

In addition to the drivers, the pay uplifts will apply to all other grades, including engineers, admin & clerical, and service personnel. Cleaners will see a temporary uplift to pay until 1 April 2026 when the Real Living Wage of £13.45 will apply and surpass this increase.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “There is power in a union and the victory achieved by First Cymru workers in south Wales is a testament to the power of workers coming together and fighting for what they merit.

“First Cymru workers deserve the credit for standing firm and being prepared to take strike action to reach their aims against an employer who had been set on cutting real-terms pay.”

Unite regional officer Alan McCarthy added: “Unite members at First Cymru have shown the power of collective action, winning this dispute to gain a much-improved pay award from their employer. However, the fact that they had to take strike action at all should be a real concern for key stakeholders in Transport For Wales and the Welsh Government.

“The fact remains that these workers will still be among the lowest paid in the sector. Steps must be taken to ensure that low pay is eliminated in our Welsh bus sector, under the new franchising model. Unite remains steadfast in its belief that workers will not suffer financially for franchising.”

The deal at First Cymru is just the latest of many pay rises for hardworking drivers across the UK over recent months as Unite fights for fair pay for bus workers. 

By Keith Hatch