Workers at Xplore Dundee will resume strike action after voting to reject a new pay offer.
About 200 workers at the firm walked out earlier this month in a dispute over pay.
This resulted in a temporary timetable being put in place and Sunday services getting cancelled.
The industrial action was suspended last Wednesday to allow union members to be balloted on a new pay offer put forward by Xplore bosses.
However members have since voted to reject the offer and will resume strike action at midnight on Friday.
Xplore has since confirmed no services will be running over the weekend.
New pay offer ‘not enough’
Dougie Maguire, Unite regional coordinating officer, said members felt the new offer was not enough in the current economic climate.
He said: “Unite can confirm that our members at Xplore Dundee have rejected an improved pay offer as is their democratic right to do so.
“The reason why the offer was ultimately rejected is down to our members feeling that what was on the table was not enough during a cost of living crisis and due to the fact that other bus operators are paying more than what Xplore Dundee do.
“We also want to be clear that Unite made Xplore Dundee management fully aware that if our members rejected the pay offer then our members would be resuming strike action, and that they should make the necessary contingency plans in this scenario.
“For this dispute to be resolved Xplore Dundee have to make an offer which meets the aspirations of our members.”
Xplore boss ‘disappointed’
Xplore’s CEO, Ralph Roberts, said he was “disappointed” at the decision and apologised to passengers for the disruption.
He said: “Agreement had been reached between Xplore Dundee and Unite the Union and it is obviously hugely disappointing that Unite’s members have now gone against their own union’s recommendation to accept.
“We have pleaded with Unite to recommence their strike action from midnight on Sunday in order to allow us to make plans to keep the people of Dundee moving with a limited service as before.
“However, they have refused to do that and will be striking from midnight tonight (Friday) meaning that there will be no buses running on Saturday or Sunday.
“We are sorry that the Dundee public will be inconvenienced once again but Xplore Dundee will do everything it can to get services running in the coming days.
“Please regularly check our website for updates.”
