Arriva strike: No deal made between Arriva and bus workers after four hours of negotiations

Arriva and Unite have not managed to make a deal to try and resolve a strike by bus workers in a row over pay.

Talks were held today by the two sides to make a deal, but Unite the Union said talks have 'broken down'.

Breaking the news, Unite said: "Both sides have comitted to meeting again to try to bring this dispute to an end."

The industrial action by Unite members started at 2am on Monday, June 6, halting services in Wakefield and the whole of West Yorkshire and is to last for 'for an undisclosed period of time'.

Arriva and Unite continue to dispute the reasons behind the strike with the bus company rejecting claims that their pay offer was just a 4.1 per cent increase.

Arriva has repeated its request to Unite’s leadership to immediately end the strike so that their union members can vote on the pay offer claiming that they instead offered figures of between a 7 and 12.5 per cent pay increase.

Unite says that German-owned Arriva’s low pay across Yorkshire means bus workers are struggling to make ends meet amid the cost of living crisis. Newly recruited bus drivers are paid only £9.78 an hour - just 28 pence above the minimum wage.

Just minutes ago, Arriva said they unsure as to when the strikes will end and they are hoping to return to our scheduled services as soon as possible.

Last week, Phil Bown, Unite's regional officer, apologised for the disruption to passengers but said drivers have no intention of standing down.

"The passengers are collateral damage which is unfortunate. I do feel sorry for them and I want to apologise for the inconvenience but my members can't continue putting up with what they do," he said.

"We have been trying to resolve this for eight months without hurting passengers but Arriva aren't interested. They are the ones that have caused the strike, no one else."

The strikes continue to cause significant disruption, with no bus services across the region until the industrial action ends.

This afternoon's news has received angry reaction from passengers.

One said: "Absolutely unacceptable. Get it together, the impact this is having in our region is appalling."

Another said: "Getting back to the table at some point is no good for the communities completely cut off. People can't afford to pay for taxi's to work or school every day!"

Another added: "This is ridiculous. So many people are isolated and are used as "collateral damage" in your words. So selfish from everyone."

* Updates when we get them.