Almost 200 Stagecoach bus drivers in Sunderland will go on strike tomorrow [Saturday 5 November, 2022] in protest at ‘poverty pay’. 

Where: Stagecoach Sunderland Depot, North Bridge Street, Sunderland, SR5 1AQ  

When:5 November 2022, 6 – 10am  

This is the seventh day of industrial action in the dispute – with more strike planned up to and including Christmas. 

Workers are angry after being offered a massive real terms pay cut while the boss of Stagecoach trousered a package worth more than £1.7 million this year - an increase of 92.4 per cent on the year before. 

Stagecoach's regional bus services made an operating profit of £58 million in the financial year 2021/22 - more than double the year before.   

Stuart Gilhespy, GMB Organiser, said: 

“Sunderland’s bus drivers are desperately trying to make ends meet while Stagecoach fat cats trouser a fortune. It’s not right. 

“Stagecoach keeps saying they want to negotiate, but whenever we try and talk to them, they refuse to change their offer. That’s not a negotiation. 

“No one wants this strike, least of all the drivers who are suffering financially. It means the world that their community – the people of Sunderland – are backing them in this dispute as they try to make ends meet. 

“It’s now up to Stagecoach to use some of their vast profits to make the city's drivers an offer they can live on.” 

ENDS

Media enquiries: GMB Press Office on 07958 156846 or at [email protected]