2024 pay offer REJECTED

TfGM and the other employers in the Passenger Transport Forum (PTF) made a pay offer which they clarified on 8 July. UNISON and Unite members across the three employers voted on the offer in a ballot which closed on Wednesday 7 August. The result of the ballot was a decision to REJECT the pay offer by 71.9% to 28.1%.

The unions informed members and the employers, and invited the employers to reopen negotiations for an improved pay offer, setting a deadline for a response by Wednesday 21 August and for a joint meeting by Wednesday 4 September. The unions have begun preparations for statutory industrial action ballots. Members can help the ballot process by going to their union’s website and checking that your details such as job, workplace, address and contract information are fully up to date. If you aren’t yet a union member, please join as soon as possible.

The offer matched what members in local authorities rejected: A pay increase of £1290 or 2.5%, whichever is greater.

TfGM told us that they have finally achieved Living Wage Foundation accreditation, having already complied with the pay rates. The other two employers had already achieved accreditation. On the other points members asked for, the employers were unwilling to make any commitments as part of the pay deal. When pushed by your reps for a response to all elements of the claim, the response to each ask was:

  • At least £15 an hour by the end of March 2026: No commitment, but rates of current pay rises make it likely the minimum may be at that point.
  • Increase allowances, such as for those working on-call: Not in the offer. Employers prefer to discuss this locally.
  • Publish gender, ethnicity and disability pay gaps and work with unions to take action to close them: Not in the offer. A separate working group has been set up.
  • Improve leave and pay for new parents: The employers propose to discuss further at a local level.
  • Reduce the working week to 36 hours: No.

The PTF employers made a commitment that if local authority employees win their request for higher pay, they would match it, so we know there is money for a better offer than this. The employers refused to make an equivalent commitment on the other elements of the claim.

TfGM budgeted up to 4% for our pay rises but this offer would only cost 3.1%.

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