Go North East (UNITE) Strike Calendar

Unite, the UK’s leading union, has asked its members at Go North East to vote to continue strike action in their battle for fair pay and conditions. The ballot will open on Friday 24 November and closes on Thursday 7 December. The fresh ballot is necessary as despite protracted negotiations the company has not formally made an improved offer to its workers.

Talks between Unite and Go North East management took place earlier today but a failure by Go North East to increase its pay offer ultimately meant that the talks ended without any resolution. Bus strikes across Go North East network will continue indefinitely. Unite is prepared to return to talks at any stage and engage in constructive negotiations but this requires good faith from both parties.

Unite officials suggested multiple ways of ending the strikes with a variety of financial packages for workers but each was met with refusal by Go North East management. Unite have calculated that the dispute could be resolved for approximately £238,000 - less than the pay for two Go North East directors, but the employer has refused to budge.

The difference between what the employer has previously offered and what Unite has asked for means that Go North East can end the strike with just 0.28 per cent of the annual profits of the Go Ahead bus group.

More than 1,300 Unite members working for bus company Go North East will embark on all-out continuous strike action from Saturday (October 28) in a determined fight for fair pay and conditions. Members overwhelmingly rejected the latest pay offer by 81 per cent on a turnout of 93 per cent.

Unite members are angry that they’re being paid up to 20 per cent less than their counterparts working for Go North West in Manchester, who do the exact same jobs working for the very same parent company.

Workers at all Go North East depots will take part in all-out continuous strike action beginning on 28 October.

The workers include bus drivers, engineers, maintenance workers and depot crews. The depots that will be affected by the industrial action are: Consett, Gateshead, Hexham, Percy Main (North Shields), Sunderland and Washington.

Go North East members have been offered a derisory, below inflation, pay offer that included cuts to terms and conditions. Go North East can easily afford to increase its pay offer given the latest accounts of its parent company, the Go-Ahead Group shows bus group profits of nearly £85million.

Go North East bus drivers will walk out in two, seven-day strikes beginning later this month, Unite the union announced today (18 September).

Drivers have been forced to take to the picket line following the failure of Go North East to come back to the negotiating table with an improved offer. This is despite the latest accounts of its parent company, the Go-Ahead Group shows bus group profits of nearly £85million

A group of about 150 bus engineers in the Go North East company based in the UK have called off a planned strike after accepting pay increases ranging from 10% to 13.1%. The workers, represented by the Unite union, had previously rejected a 10% pay increase, arguing it represented a real terms pay cut. The new deal includes an attendance bonus in addition to the pay increase. The union's general secretary described the agreement as an "excellent result" and said the organization is committed to improving the pay, conditions, and job prospects of its members in the bus industry.