FIRST SOUTH WEST PAY WIN

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 ::january 2023 :: RMTnews 9 A fter taking days of industrial action bus workers in Somerset and Cornwall working for First South West have overwhelmingly backed a pay deal of up to nearly 18 per cent increase in a referendum. Under the deal existing drivers will see a 17.6 per cent uplift on the basic hourly rate and the overtime rate will increase by 16.2 per cent. Rates for engineering, cleaners and supervisory staff will be increased in the same way. The lowest paid staff will have a minimum increase in their basic hourly pay above these percentage rates and any worker currently on less than £10 per hour will be moved to £10. The company has also agreed to meet RMT representatives every January, April, July and October to discuss how to recruit and retain workers to assist on future decisions that may need to be made around pay and conditions. The pay anniversary date will remain at April from April 2024. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that it had been quite obvious from the beginning of the dispute that First South West could pay workers a decent wage rise.  “First South West is a subsidiary of First Group which had paid out £500 million to shareholders in 2021/22 and reported an operating profit of £226 million. “The union hopes that the company will now negotiate in good faith in the future based on the contribution FSW workers make and the service they provide to the community,” he said.   FIRST SOUTH WEST PAY WIN