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I don’t think they are a million miles away from each other. I think a 12-week strike would be devastating for the bus sector and would do long-term damage, I don’t want to see that. The problem we have got is the offer is just totally derogatory. It wasn't acceptable. They wanted to be able to basically turn all of the depots against each other and start going to each individual depot going forward to change the terms and conditions of employment. We can't accept that, members can't accept that, we need a decent and fair pay rise with no strings attached." Richard Holden, the minister for local transport, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he believed transport bosses and the Unite union were not “a million miles apart” in their negotiations and that “there is a deal to be done”. The Conservative MP for North West Durham, whose constituency includes areas like Consett and Lanchester that have lost bus services due to the industrial action, said he thought the two parties had been “very close” to a deal last week and that there “surely has to be some common ground” to resolve the strike. Over 1,000 First Glasgow drivers are voting to strike over pay. The Unite members previously rejected a pay offer by 99 percent.

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Go North East had offered a 10.3% pay rise, plus a guaranteed above-inflation pay increase next year too, but that proposal was rejected by 81% of workers who took part in a union ballot last week. Unite has pressed for a 13% increase, but has also complained that drivers at Go North West currently earn an hourly wage more than 20% higher than their North East counterparts. The depots that will be affected by the industrial action are: Consett, Gateshead, Hexham, Percy Main (North Shields), Sunderland and Washington. What has Unite and Go North East said about the move? We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. One bus driver told Unite, “I’m struggling to pay my rent, to pay my council tax, to pay for the upkeep of my car that enables me to get to work in the first place.Go North East bus drivers in Unite Union began their continuous strike outside the Go North East Riverside Depot in Gateshead (Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

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Bus workers include drivers, engineers, maintenance workers and depot crews. Which services will be affected by the strike? I have to work seven days a week just to try to make ends meet. Two of those days are overtime, but after tax, it’s pointless doing overtime. They’ve put us under so much pressure. I’ve got an excellent driving record—I haven’t had any incidents in over ten years. The striker added, “The company doesn’t appreciate how much we put into the job, which is incredibly stressful from the moment you start. Social Studies- slavery, segregation and the changes made to help provide more equality to everyoneThere is mounting anger within the workforce over Unite’s handling of negotiations and their call for a continuous strike. Unite are literally rejecting a deal they themselves proposed. Wild and unfounded claims by the union of ‘paltry pay offers’, and false claims that the company are ‘not coming to the table’ don’t help”. He criticised "wild and unfounded" claims from the union about the pay offers, and added: "This dispute and strike are entirely of Unite's making. All we want is for the local union representatives to work constructively and collaboratively with us to secure the region’s bus services." They said that if the proposal – which also involves some standardisation of working practices across its six depots – is accepted, drivers will be guaranteed a further inflation linked pay increase next year.

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The 1,300 strikers walked out for seven days on Saturday 30 September and another seven from last Saturday.

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A minister has called for a resolution to the “devastating” strike that has paralysed dozens of bus services across the North East. Dates for the industrial action are yet to be announced. The bus depots which will be affected by any action are: Consett, Gateshead, Hexham, Percy Main ( North Shields), Sunderland and Washington.