Nottingham City Transport has received notification from the TGWU (the drivers’ trade union) that they will be holding a strike ballot of their members in the Company commencing on 28th April 2006.
Talks between the Company and the TGWU have been ongoing since December 2005 without reaching a successful outcome. Nottingham City Transport offered a 2.4% rise to drivers (inflation at the reference point for the award was 2.1%) which equates to a 20p per hour increase for all drivers. This was overwhelmingly rejected by the drivers and further talks ensued.
We regret to inform our customers that no further progress was made at these talks. Consequentially Nottingham City Transport implemented the rise (2.4%) it could afford from the 1st April 2006.
It is our understanding that drivers will now be balloted on two questions
Are you prepared to take part in strike action?
And
Are you prepared to take part in industrial action short of a strike?
As soon as we are in a position to advise our customers of the outcome of this ballot we shall do so.
The company has always maintained that it will continue to discuss the outstanding claims with the drivers but that any additional payments must be fully funded by efficiencies derived from driver savings.
Mark Fowles the Managing Director of Nottingham City Transport said
“The Company has always maintained that any rise above this level would require either a further increase in revenue from our customers or cuts in services. Neither of which we believe is acceptable. As ever we shall remain open to discussions with the Trade Union in the run up to this ballot and beyond.”
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