Bristol buses could face extreme disruption as drivers ballot over strike action - how you could be affected
There could be major disruption to bus services in and around Bristol as over 1,000 drivers are being balloted for industrial action over pay at six depots.
The dispute comes after Unite members rejected a two-year pay deal, which would give them £1 an hour extra of pay per hour from now until March 2026, then a 30p hourly increase from April 2026.
New starters will be offered 50p extra on the hourly rate, which goes up by 10p next April.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This is yet another example of a profitable company prioritising greed and the needs of its shareholders over hardworking members who do a difficult job driving buses every day – Unite will not stand for this.
"Any disruption is entirely the fault of First West of England and our members will have Unite's full support during this dispute."
In Bristol, the First West of England drivers work at Bristol Bus Station, Lawrence Hill and Hengrove, which provide inner-city bus routes in the city as well as services for Bristol Airport, the local universities and Amazon's Bristol warehouse.
The other three depots being balloted are Weston-Super-Mare, Bath and Wells.
The ballot at Lawrence Hill and Hengrove closes on August 19 while the one at Bristol Bus Station, Weston-Super-Mare, Bath and Wells closes on August 21.
As First West of England is the main bus operator in Bristol, any industrial action is likely to be extremely disruptive with delays and cancellations of services expected.
Unite regional officer Amy Roberts added: "We appreciate local residents may be concerned to hear of potential strike action, but First West of England has failed to put forward a meaningful pay offer to our members.
"Drivers at First West of England do a vital job for the general public and deserve to be paid fairly.
“We urge First West of England to come back to the table with a better offer to avoid any disruption."
Doug Claringbold, the managing director for First Bus in the West of England, said: “We’re disappointed that Unite has chosen to ballot some employees for industrial action while we continue to engage in constructive negotiations. Our above inflation pay offer reflects the value we put on colleagues and demonstrates our commitment to protecting staff from the rising cost of living - even in the challenging financial environment we operate in.
“We remain open to having constructive discussions at any time and urge Unite to continue these talks so we can reach a fair resolution for our colleagues and the customers across the area we serve.”