Three-month Xplore Dundee bus strike to continue after workers reject offer

Bus drivers in Dundee are set to continue a 12 week strike this summer, after union members rejected a pay offer.

Around 200 members of Unite at Xplore Dundee – including drivers, duty managers, platform staff, and administrative staff – began their strike on June 12, and will continue until September 3.

The firm’s CEO, Ralph Roberts, said the rejection came against Unite’s own recommendations to accept the offer.

He continued that he had “pleaded” with Unite to wait Monday to restart the strike, however union members will walk out on Saturday morning instead.

Mr Roberts added: “We are sorry that the Dundee public will be inconvenienced once again but Xplore Dundee will do everything it can to get services running in the coming days.”

A previous 7% pay offer by Xplore Dundee was rejected by members, and Unite said earlier in June that “no progress” was made during a negotiation mediated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

The union also claimed that the operator’s sales had grown by 10.4% since 2017 – reaching £17.2m last year – while average employee wages have fallen by 14% in the same period.

Dougie Maguire, Unite regional coordinating officer, said: “The reason why the offer was ultimately rejected is down to our members feeling that what was on the table was not enough during a cost of living crisis and due to the fact that other bus operators are paying more than what Xplore Dundee do.

“We also want to be clear that Unite made Xplore Dundee management fully aware that if our members rejected the pay offer then our members would be resuming strike action, and that they should make the necessary contingency plans in this scenario.

“For this dispute to be resolved Xplore Dundee have to make an offer which meets the aspirations of our members.”