Bus company Stagecoach has hit out at trade union Unite over the ongoing bus drivers strike, but union has remained firm in its demands.

Drivers represented by Unite the Union and based out of Cwmbran, Blackwood and Brynmawr depots want a “no strings” pay rise to £10.50 an hour.

Drivers at Blackwood are currently paid £9.50 an hour, while drivers at Brynmawr are paid £9.25.

Stagecoach South Wales has offered the drivers the increase, but according to Unite, it has been offered without paid breaks and a reduction in sick pay agreements. However, this has been denied by Stagecoach.

According to Stagecoach, it has put forward an improved offer that would meet Unite’s £10.50 demands within two years.

Stagecoach said it had made the drivers an “above inflation offer” which includes up to £1,000 of back pay and would see existing staff conditions protected and sick pay retained.

Nigel Winter, Managing Director of Stagecoach South Wales said: “We recognise the hard work our people have continued to do during the pandemic and whilst we are committed to giving our staff a good pay rise, which is rightly deserved, this must be sustainable for our business to ensure the long-term viability of services, bus depots and jobs.

“The above inflation improved offer would see us meet the 10.5% increase in pay rate expectation within two years, and a 12.6% increase in pay right now to cover the next 12 months.”

Mr Winter hit out at Unite and said: “Unite seem determined to press ahead with strike action, causing further unnecessary inconvenience to our passengers and communities in South Wales.

“The pay rise that Unite is demanding would mean cuts to bus services and putting jobs at risk, and is simply not sustainable right now.”

Mr Winter also accused Unite of refusing to take Stagecoach’s offer to a workplace vote and said: “It is difficult to see how we can take this forward in order to reach an agreement.”

But Unite Wales Regional Officer Alan McCarthy strongly denied this and said: “It’s incorrect to state that members did not vote on the recent offer. Representatives have consulted with members throughout these pay talks, and have negotiated down to what has become a minimum acceptable offer for members.

“Members have informed their reps that any offer less than £10.50 per hour, or that includes destructive new starter rates, cuts to sick pay and cuts to paid breaks will be rejected.

“Representatives informed Mr Winter of this, but he demanded that members vote on the latest inadequate offer.

“Representatives immediately returned to Cwmbran where an overwhelming majority of all members were congregated, and the offer was unanimously rejected.”

Mr McCarthy added: “It’s become ludicrous that a company which has driven up the highest paid directors remuneration from £93,000 in 2016 to £180,000 in 2020 is telling hard working drivers that £10.50ph is a ‘fantasy wage demand’.

“Members have been clear – table a fair pay offer of £10.50 per hour, removing destructive new starter rates, no cuts to paid breaks and sick pay, and that will be accepted, with drivers returning to work the very next shift.”

Stagecoach has already agreed pay deals for drivers based at its depots in Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil and engineers at Cwmbran and Blackwood.

Striking bus drivers have received support from Caerphilly County Borough Council leader Philippa Marsden and deputy leader Jamie Pritchard.

Cllr Pritchard said: “What bus drivers are asking for is barely more than the Living Wage. When the leader and myself spoke to drivers on the picket line recently, we heard the hardship the drivers and their families are facing. A quick way out of this dispute is for Stagecoach to settle it by agreeing to the reasonable request from Unite. The drivers have our full support.”

Latest information on affected services can be found on Stagecoach’s website.