FIRST bus drivers in South Yorkshire have voted to hold a one-day strike on Friday after management rejected their "outrageous" claims for improved pay and benefits.
Trade union Unite has asked for a package that First claim would add 28 per cent to the company's payroll - but bosses say they cannot afford any wage rise at all.
First say they are offering last-ditch talks in an attempt to avoid the walk-out which will affect all of their routes in South Yorkshire throughout Friday. Discussions are taking place with Unite about whether drivers will continue to operate school contract services.
Unite is demanding a 10 per cent increase in drivers' hourly pay - currently £9.13 for those who have completed 18 months' service - to bring South Yorkshire in line with other First subsidiaries such as Leeds, where the rate is £10.
The union also wants First to offer double pay for overtime, currently paid at the standard rate, and for drivers to be able to retire at 50 instead of 65, with no loss of benefits.
First's deputy managing director Brandon Jones said the demands were unreasonable in the current economic climate.
Just over half of First's 1,400 bus drivers took part in the ballot for industrial action, with 605 voting in favour and 178 against.
Mr Jones said: "We are disappointed that a Unite Union ballot has ended with only 44 per cent of driving staff voting for a strike that will now potentially cause severe disruption to the people of South Yorkshire.
"Unite is showing an extremely blinkered view with its outrageous 28 per cent pay claim at a time when businesses locally and nationally are facing difficult economic conditions.
"The consequences of Unite's actions in calling for a strike are that everyone loses. People struggle to get to work, children cannot get to school and shops and retailers have fewer customers.
"This also has a significant effect on our business, which may impact on all jobs including drivers' in the future."
He added: "RPI, the index for price increases, is currently running at -1 per cent. We are not asking for pay cuts or even job cuts from our bus driving staff.
"This year we are asking our drivers to join us all and earn this year what they earned last year.
"This is a very reasonable salary for drivers who can earn up to £30k per year in addition to a package of benefits including a contributory pension scheme, generous holiday entitlement, additional learning and training opportunities and Buy As You Earn and Save As You Earn schemes.
"The ballot result has not changed our position - there remains no available money to fund a pay increase."
He urged the union to join them at ACAS, the industrial mediation service, to try to find a compromise to avoid strike action.
Steve Clark, branch secretary of Unite, said First, which made £122 million nationally and a small profit at its South Yorkshire arm in 2008/9, should be able to afford a pay rise for drivers.
He admitted First drivers are better-paid than at rival Stagecoach but he said some who have only recently joined the company were "having to live on the breadline", with introductory hourly wages of between £6 and £7 per hour.
First is facing two other possible strike ballots by Unite over disciplinary procedure in Sheffield and separate county-wide disputes over holiday pay and staff night buses.
The company, which is facing a slump in passengers due to the recession, has offered drivers a slightly better pay deal by changing the way additional payments are made for non-driving time, currently paid separately from the hourly rate.
By paying staff normal wages for the time instead, it would automatically be subject to any future pay increases, which is not currently the case.
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