BUS drivers across South Wales have secured a significant pay increase after eight days of strike action, with Unite the Union confirming members have voted to accept an improved offer from First Cymru.
Workers had been in dispute with the operator over low pay levels and staged walkouts throughout November. On Friday, members accepted a revised deal that will see drivers receive a five per cent rise backdated to 1 April. Hourly pay will increase to £14.25 immediately, rising in stages to £15 per hour from 1 January 2027.
The uplift will also apply to engineers, administrative and clerical staff, and service personnel. Cleaners will receive a temporary increase until 1 April 2026, when the Real Living Wage rate of £13.45 per hour will come into force and surpass the interim rise.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “There is power in a union, and the victory achieved by First Cymru workers in south Wales is a testament to the power of workers coming together and fighting for what they merit. First Cymru workers deserve the credit for standing firm and being prepared to take strike action to reach their aims against an employer who had been set on cutting real-terms pay.”
Unite regional officer Alan McCarthy said the dispute highlighted wider concerns around low pay in Wales’ bus network. He added: “Unite members at First Cymru have shown the power of collective action, winning this dispute to gain a much-improved pay award from their employer. However, the fact they had to take strike action at all should be a real concern for key stakeholders in Transport for Wales and the Welsh Government.
“The fact remains that these workers will still be among the lowest paid in the sector. Steps must be taken to ensure that low pay is eliminated in our Welsh bus sector under the new franchising model. Unite remains steadfast in its belief that workers will not suffer financially for franchising.”
With the revised deal now accepted, Unite confirmed that all planned industrial action has been cancelled.
