Row erupts over National Express West Midlands' 'hospital route network' plan ahead of strike action
A union has refused to support bus drivers to serve hospital workers during the upcoming strike action over a pay row, a bus operator has claimed.
Unite the Union announced last week that National Express West Midlands bus drivers had voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action and "continuous strike action" was to begin on March 16.
However, the bus operator said it was continuing to talk to the union.
It now says that it had asked for Unite to consider supporting a 'hospital route network' – where a small number of bus drivers would drive essential routes during the strike to support hospital workers, patients and visitors.
The operator claims the union "point blank refused".
Although, Unite has hit back saying it had given National Express enough notice to put alternative arrangements in place and called it a "cynical attempt to discredit members before the strikes begin".
National Express bosses say bus drivers have been offered an increase of 13.4 per cent, made up of 11.1 per cent on the base rate backdated to January 2023, and a one-off payment of £630 which works out at 2.3 per cent – meaning around 75 per cent of drivers would earn more than £30,000.
But the union said, despite National Express’ operating profits rising, it had actually offered its workers in the West Midlands a "real terms pay cut".
A spokesperson for National Express West Midlands said: “We respect the union’s right to withdraw labour to make their point about the double-digit above-inflation pay rises we are offering, but refusing to allow a skeleton team of bus drivers to support hospital key workers is beyond the pale.
“It punishes the hard working key workers of the West Midlands, who in many cases will earn less than bus drivers. We know our drivers are dedicated, caring people who just want to get on with their jobs and are fed up of Unite playing political games with their livelihoods.
"We will be calling on drivers to help us run the hospital route network and keep the West Midlands moving.”
The union says National Express was told strike action would begin six days ago and have been given enough notice to put alternative arrangements in place to ensure hospitals routes are running.
A Unite spokesperson said: "This is just a cynical attempt to discredit our members before the strikes begin.
"This is a company that brings in billions of pounds per year, but it is refusing to provide its workers, who perform a difficult and stressful job where they often face abuse, with a reasonable pay rise.
"The pay deal National Express is saying has been offered to our members is not accurate, which shows the disingenuous approach the company is taking.
"National Express has no-one to blame but itself for this dispute and the responsibility for any disruption lies with the company.
"It could have been settled months ago were it not for the company's greed and there is still time to settle it before the strikes begin."
