Fresh offer made over bus dispute

Hundreds of Stagecoach staff were balloted on action

A fresh offer has been made to bus workers in the north east of Scotland and Highlands in the hope that strike action can be averted.

Members of the T&G section of the Unite union voted for a series of one-day stoppages earlier this week after rejecting an offer from Stagecoach.

The strikes are still scheduled to begin next Thursday.

However, talks between management and union officials will now see a fresh deal taken to workers.

Charlie Mullen, managing director of Stagecoach Bluebird, said: "This is an exceptional deal for our employees, particularly in the current tough economic climate, offering drivers a rise of more than £1,600 a year.

"We hope that these meetings will result in a successful outcome and the union suspending planned industrial action."

Members are based at bus depots in Aberdeen, Stonehaven, Banchory, Ballater, Insch, Alford, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Elgin, Macduff, Inverness and Tain.