Glasgow bus drivers losing hundreds of pounds a week in lockdown pay deal

First Bus drivers have been put on a three week on three-week furlough arrangement while there is reduced demand for bus travel and a reduced timetable in operation.

The UK Government coronavirus job retention (furlough) scheme allows workers to be paid 80% of their wages.

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However, because most drivers work overtime every week, they are seeing a bigger drop in take home pay.

First Bus said it was in agreement with the union and was thought to be the fairest option to all drivers.

One driver told the Glasgow Times that while they are on a 38-hour contract most drivers work between 50 and 60 hours a week.

The driver said this was needed to give them a decent wage but said First relied on overtime to ensure all the shifts needed to keep buses on the road were covered.

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However, the furlough agreement only covers 80% of their contracted hours and not overtime.

The driver said: “Drivers are on between £10.50 and £12.50 and hour. If you work 50 hours a week you are losing 19 hours a week, it can be £200. It’s a joke.

“Most drivers work overtime to get a decent wage and have to work five 12 hour shifts to take home less than £500.”

First Glasgow said rather than furlough a number of drivers it was thought that a rotating system was fairest to allow drivers to earn full pay for some of the time.

Andrew Jarvis, First Bus Managing Director

Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director, said: “These are extremely challenging times for everyone at First Bus, and the business more generally, and in this context our overriding objective has been to maintain employment opportunities and as much certainty as possible for our colleagues.

“The company has implemented arrangements in strict accordance with the UK Government’s Job Retention Scheme and through its collective bargaining arrangements agreed with our Trade Union representatives. These arrangements align with the variation of terms contained within employees’ contracts of employment.

“The agreements we have arrived at with Unite-the-Union see a majority of the workforce operating on a furlough-rotation basis, with periods lasting for a minimum of three weeks.

“Colleagues on rotational furlough, who return to work, will also receive any variable pay earned for additional hours worked in those weeks back in work. The UK Government’s Job Retention Scheme has been critical in avoiding significant job losses.”

Unite the union, when it agreed to the deal in March said it was good for the workers and the public.

Wendy Dunsmore, regional officer, said: “ The new working arrangement put in place between First Glasgow and the workforce is one that was jointly agreed to with Unite.

“We are pleased that First Glasgow has acted as a responsible employer not only to its workforce but the wider public.

“The early feedback we are getting is that workers are happy with these new arrangements as it significantly reduces the exposure to COVID-19 as well as giving financial security.”