Winchester bus drivers strike

Winchester bus drivers are staging two days of industrial action on successive Saturdays in a dispute over pay.

The RMT union said that drivers working for Stagecoach in this Hampshire city are to take both strike action and action short of a strike.

The union said that despite "lengthy negotiations" the company has tabled an offer which works out at a 1.5% increase for both 2012 and 2013 - below current inflation rates.

A subsequent ballot returned massive votes in favour of both strike action and action short of a strike, reflecting the level of anger on the shop floor.

Union members are to take strike action by not booking on shifts between 6am on 4th August and just before 6am on 5th August, as well as between the same times on 11th and 12th August.

They will consolidate that with action short of strike by refusing to work any overtime or rest day work during the same times.