Doncaster First Bus cleaners join striking Sheffield colleagues in pay dispute

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Doncaster First Bus cleaning workers have joined striking Sheffield colleagues in their dispute over poverty pay.

The Doncaster Bidvest Noonan workers voted overwhelmingly in a consultative ballot to join the dispute over their wealthy employer’s refusal to pay the real living wage of £12 an hour, despite First Bus contractors being obligated to do so.

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Cleaning and refuelling workers employed by Bidvest Noonan on behalf of First South Yorkshire at Sheffield’s Olive Grove depot began industrial action in September after being told their wages will not be increased above the legal minimum of £11.44 an hour.

They are now ramping up strikes and will be joined in the coming weeks by their colleagues in Doncaster, who will soon begin a formal ballot for industrial action.

Doncaster First Bus cleaners join striking Sheffield colleagues in pay dispute.Doncaster First Bus cleaners join striking Sheffield colleagues in pay dispute.
Doncaster First Bus cleaners join striking Sheffield colleagues in pay dispute.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “As a First Bus contractor, Bidvest Noonan is obligated to pay the living wage, which it can absolutely afford to do. First Bus needs to make it explicitly clear to Bidvest Noonan that promises to pay the living wage in the distant future are not good enough.

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“Unite’s Bidvest Noonan members at First Bus in Sheffield and Doncaster have their union’s total and unflinching support in their fight to receive what they are entitled to.”

Bidvest Noonan is part of the Bidvest Group, which earned £278 million in profits in the half year to December 2023.

In April, First Group announced that it had become an accredited real living wage employer paying all workers at least £12 an hour. First stated that ‘includes workers employed through third party contractors’.

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Fresh strikes will take place at Sheffield’s Olive Grove for three days a week in October and four days a week in November (see notes for editors). Industrial action will escalate if the dispute is not resolved.

Strike action will impact operations at the depot causing problems for bus services in Sheffield. First operations in Doncaster will also face disruption in the event of strike action at the Leger Way depot.

Unite regional officer Christian Ratcliffe said: “Bidvest Noonan’s greed has caused this dispute and it is completely responsible for any resultant disruption to First passengers in Sheffield and Doncaster.

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“This dispute will continue to spread and escalate until Bidvest Noonan stops insisting that workers will have to wait until November 2026 to receive the real living wage."

We have approached Bidvest Noonan for a comment.

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