Bus services across the North East of England are being hit again as the latest strike by staff at one of the region’s major firms brings services to a halt. Why are they taking action and how long will disruption last?

Almost all Go North East’s services across Tyneside, Northumberland, County Durham and Teesside are cancelled until further notice after staff began a walkout at midnight.

It is understood some scholar services may operate for school pupils, as they have during two recent strikes.

Those walkouts lasted for one week each, but this latest round of industrial action is being taken on a “continuous” basis meaning it could stretch for 12 weeks.

As one of the main bus operators in the area, the company has a fleet of almost 700 buses and coaches and said about 175,000 people usually boarded its services each day.

About 1,300 drivers, engineers, administration, clerical and technology staff from all six of the firm’s depots – at Consett, Hexham, Sunderland, Percy Main, Gateshead and Washington – are taking part in the strike.

Services by other firms such as Arriva and Stagecoach are not affected.

Workers’ union Unite said its Go North East members were paid much less than people doing the same jobs at Go North West, both of which were part of the Go-Ahead Group.

Taking drivers as a comparison, Unite said Go North East’s received £12.83 per hour while those at Go North West were paid £15.54.

That difference of £2.71 per hour totalled £105.69 less per week, the union said.

Union members rejected Go North East’s latest pay offer on Friday, which proposed a 10.3% rise and would have taken hourly rates for drivers to £14.15.

An above-inflation rise next year was also put forward as part of that offer.

However, Unite said that would still mean a difference of £1.39 per hour now – £54.21 less per week for North East workers.

It has been calling for a 13% pay rise, which its said would bring the regions closer together although they would still not be equal.

Striking workers are being given £70 each day by the union.

The bus company, which is the region’s third-largest private employer behind Nissan and Virgin Money, said it was “incredibly disappointed” its latest proposal was rejected.

It described it as a “landmark offer” that would have made its workers the highest-paid drivers in the North East, ahead of those at rival companies.

Annual pay for drivers working a standard week would have risen by almost £2,700, it said and drivers who chose to work overtime stood to gain more than £3,000 per year.

Go North East business director Ben Maxfield said: “Drivers wanted an above-inflation deal, no changes to conditions and top-of-the-market rates.

“We responded to each and every one of those demands, which makes it hard to understand why the union would press ahead with 12 weeks of industrial action.”

He added North West workers were paid more because “they are on different rostering arrangements and different conditions”.

Unite described Go North East’s offer as “insulting” and said its members were “angry that they’re being paid up to 20% less than their counterparts working for Go North West in Manchester, who do the exact same jobs working for the very same parent company”.

In a statement released on Friday, it warned “many members are struggling to meet even a basic standard of living”.

And it argued if they had accepted the offer, drivers would have been paid only 2p more per hour (78p per week) than the current highest in the region at Arriva Northumbria – and would soon fall behind again once that firm concludes its own pay offer.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham accused Go North East of “betraying their workers”, adding the firm was “responsible for the disruption caused to people living in the North East”.

She added: “Their parent company is awash with cash [but] they pay their workforce such low wages they are forcing them to use foodbanks to feed their families.”

The ballot had a 93% turnout with 81% of those responding voting for the strike.

There has been a mix of reactions among people the BBC has spoken to with some people saying they would struggle to get to work or hospital appointments and were unable to pay for taxis.

Daniel Murray, who travels from Consett to Newcastle and Durham by bus, said he supported the strikes because he thought Go North East’s workers “don’t get paid enough”.

But others took a different view.

IT tutor Hannah Allenby, who uses a Go North East bus to travel from Bowburn to Houghton-le-Spring, warned it meant people “won’t be able to leave the house for weeks – it is like a reconstruction of Covid”.