FIRST Glasgow has announced a pay increase for all their drivers in a bid to overcome significant staff shortages.

The bus operator will now pay drivers £13 per hour for Glasgow services, while those in the Greater Glasgow area will now receive £12.35 per hour. 

We previously reported that the firm is now offering drivers an overtime rate of £25 per hour to keep staff on the road.

First Glasgow has seen a shortfall of around 300 drivers and there are currently vacancies at the depots in Blantyre, Overtown, Scotstoun, Dumbarton and the City Centre (Caledonia).

Duncan Cameron, Managing Director for First Bus Scotland, said: “Our recruitment campaign is continuing at pace, and we are making every effort to attract new entrants to the industry with a number of different initiatives including flexible working patterns for drivers in Glasgow. 

“We have been actively looking to make our remuneration level as attractive as possible while making the application process easier than ever for anyone wishing to apply.  

“This increase will hopefully start to grow our driver numbers which, in turn, will allow us to increase our service levels as we see some really positive passenger return rates following the pandemic.

"The benefit of a hardworking and agile bus network has been highlighted during the recent rail disruption. 

“First Glasgow has lots to offer our drivers including our new increased entry-level pay, flexible working patterns, the opportunity to work with new state-of-the-art zero-emissions electric vehicles, and much, much more.

"There has never been a more exciting time to join First Bus.”

Drivers can earn over £30,000 per year with overtime, with the opportunity to work two, three, four, five and six-day weeks.

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There are also more flexible part-time shifts such as a 25-hour working week consisting of working five hours a day, which have been introduced to reflect an improved work-life balance.

The Glasgow Times also previously reported that union bosses were unhappy with the move and wanted to see a universal increase.

The new move now means that the rate of pay is standardised for all drivers, removing the time-served increases that were in place previously.

Mick Dowds, Unite First Glasgow Convenor, said: “Unite shop stewards negotiating committee have been working tirelessly to see an improvement in pay in the last year, this has seen an end to progression, with all employees receiving the same rate, double-time payments for all drivers working additional days off and better flexible working arrangements.

“These changes are welcomed by our members as they improve our livelihoods whilst attracting new drivers and making First Glasgow an employer of choice. 

"Unite driver shop stewards committees aim has and continues to be to protect jobs services and the pay and conditions of our members.

"Unite driver shop stewards committees aim has and continues to be to protect jobs, services and the pay and conditions of our members.

"Whilst our work is not done, we continually review the challenges our drivers are facing and will have no hesitation to address these.”

To find out more about the opportunities available at First Bus depots across Greater Glasgow and how to apply, please visit firstbus.co.uk/recruitment.