LONDON, March 25 (Reuters) - More than 3,000 bus drivers
at a central England division of National Express have
ended strike action after voting to accept a 16.2% pay rise, the
Unite union said on Saturday.
Britain has had waves of disruptive strikes in recent months
as hundreds of thousands of transport, health, education and
public-sector workers demanded higher wages to keep pace with
surging inflation and an accelerating cost of living.
Unite said the pay deal at National Express West Midlands
also guarantees the implementation of new terms and conditions
agreed last year.
“This is an important win for Unite members. By standing
together our members at National Express secured an above
inflation pay offer," Unite general secretary Sharon Graham
said.
A National Express West Midlands spokesperson said the
company was pleased drivers had voted in favour of accepting the
offer and apologised to customers for the recent disruption to
services.
With UK inflation rising to 10.4% in February, the Bank of
England is watching pay settlements closely as it weighs any
further rises in interest rates.
(Reporting by James Davey. Editing by Jane Merriman)
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