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RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january/february 2024 :: RMTnews 8 R MT bus members working for Bluestar have overwhelmingly backed a pay deal worth 7.14 per cent uplift. Bluestar operates bus services in Southampton and surrounding areas of Hampshire. It is a subsidiary of the Go South Coast sector of the Go-Ahead Group. ACCEPTED OFFER IS AS FOLLOWS: • A 7.14 per cent increase across all grades, effective January 1, 2024 increasing the Drivers rate by £1 per hour from £14 to £15. • An additional concessionary pass for one eligible child for staff who have completed 24 months continuous service. • Current trainees will receive a £1 per hour increase and new trainees will be paid the current £13.00 rate. RMT has carried out a survey of bus members on musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints such as back, neck and shoulder pain. 400 bus workers were surveyed with 78 per cent saying that their occupation caused MSK problems. 94 per cent said that their working conditions could be improved by the introduction of adjustable seating, steering columns and driver dashboards. 95 per cent also said that the bus driver's cabin could be designed in a more ergonomic way with 94 per cent did not feeling they were given equal treatment to office workers who ask for workplace adjustments. As a result, nearly one quarter of respondents said that they had taken time off in the previous year due to back pain, neck pain or shoulder pain. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that the results were deeply concerning and underline the need for strong trade unions in the workplace, pushing employers to make the changes workers need. "It is unacceptable that bus workers are having to take time off for injuries sustained at work when there is technology available that can easily assist them ergonomically. "Bus companies are solely concerned with private profit and we need to see all services taken into public ownership for the benefit of passengers and bus workers,” he said. BLUESTAR BUS PAY DEAL MOST BUS DRIVERS SUFFER MSK PROBLEMS Union survey finds that bus driver cabin design could be improved