National Express West Midlands bus strike: Do bus passengers support the indefinite walk out?

The National Express West Midlands bus strike has created immense travel chaos in the region as bus drivers continue their walk out indefinitely after turning down a pay offer.

National Express operates 93% of the buses in the West Midlands and 3,100 bus drivers are on strike for the fourth day (March 23) leaving passengers hugely inconvenienced - especially as the indefinite industrial action could continue throughout the weekend. Crunch talks are taking place today (Thursday, March 23). But National Express has advised passengers that the disruption to services could continue through the weekend.

Currently, a limited service is operational on hospital routes - but is subject to delays and other issues. Police were called in yesterday (March 22) as strikers tried to prevent buses from leaving garages in Coventry and Birmingham.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has weighed in on the issue and asked National Express & Unite to “put passengers first and do a deal”. He added: “If they can’t, then an independent, non-political arbitrator is going to have to be called in. This misery for passengers has to be brought to an end.” The Mayor has urged the compnay and strikers to come to a deal by the end of the week.

How bus passengers are reacting to the strikes

One Birmingham resident, Paul, told BirminghamWorld: “Everyone is entitled to argue what they think is right and it’s good that they can stand together and everyone support each other but strikes do bring a lot of disruption to the local economy and the country as a whole.”

Another resident, Stewart, said: “I don’t support it because I don’t really have enough information to know what the reasons are.” One local man, Eddy, said: “It’s neither good nor bad. It’s necessary. At the end of the day, the only power anyone in work has is to withdraw their labour. If employees or economic circumstances won’t benefit them -what else can they do?”

On BirminghamWorld’s Facebook page, one commenter wrote: “If they have to bring a non political arbitrator in then do so as what they say goes and if the drivers don’t like it then the jobcentre is waiting for you. Price of taxis just to get to work is ridiculous now.”

Another added: “Why dont people complain about the poor greedy teachers and civil servants strike but always have something to complain about when its the laymen .. shocked.”

One commenter said: “I would of like a 14% pay rise but I unfortunately only got 5% didn’t see me striking but now I have to add upto 2 extra hours on my travel time next week if they are still striking it’s a joke.”

Responding to Andy Street’s on Twitter, one person wrote: “Traffic around the city is crazy. I hope they get a fair pay deal though.” Another added: “ The pay offer is fair Drivers preventing busses leaving depots on ‘hospital’ routes is appalling ... this WIll backfire on you!”

On Reddit, one person wrote: “Would like to not spend my last £45 on Ubers until pay day (30/03). PLSPLSPLSPLSPLS accept the offer, drive the damn busses (!!!!) and then re bargain next year as many work places do.” Another added: “Yep strikes are good, they deserve to make a comfortable wage, heck we all do.”

Why are National Express bus drivers on strike?

Unite the union says that bus workers pay fell by six per cent in real terms between 2018 and 2021 - with the gap increasing even further in 2022 due to rocketing prices caused by the cost of living crisis.

Unite says National Express bus driver’s starting salary begins at £11.80 an hour, progressing to just over £14 after three years of service. Meanwhile Abellio workers in London are paid £18 an hour after two years of service, which more closely reflects the difficulties and pressures that come with the job.

The Union contrasted the pay of bus drivers with that paid to National Express, saying that - over the last 10 years - National Express paid its CEO an average annual salary of £2.6 million.

What has National Express West Midlands said about the pay dispute?

A spokesperson for National Express West Midlands said: “Drivers rejected the improved offer of a 14.3% pay increase along with increases to Christmas and New Year’s pay and accident pay. The package would have brought an experienced driver salary up to nearly £33k, and unlocked more than £900 of back pay for a full time driver.”