Unite has hailed a significant pay win for bus drivers in South West Wales, warning that low pay must still be tackled across the sector.
The union confirmed members at First Cymru have accepted a new offer delivering a 5% increase backdated to 1 April. Drivers’ hourly pay rises to £14.25 now, with staged increases reaching £15 per hour by January 2027.
The deal also covers engineers, admin staff and service personnel. Cleaners will receive a temporary uplift until April 2026, when the Real Living Wage of £13.45 will apply.
“There is power in a union”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the outcome showed the strength of collective action.
“There is power in a union and the victory achieved by First Cymru workers in South Wales is a testament to the power of workers coming together and fighting for what they merit.”
Regional officer Alan McCarthy added:
“Unite members at First Cymru have shown the power of collective action, winning this dispute to gain a much‑improved pay award.
However, the fact that they had to take strike action at all should be a real concern for Transport for Wales and the Welsh Government. Steps must be taken to ensure that low pay is eliminated in our Welsh bus sector under the new franchising model.”
Strike action cancelled, but concerns remain
All planned industrial action has now been cancelled following the ballot result.
The dispute saw repeated stoppages across October and November, with drivers warning of festive disruption and Unite accusing the company of union‑busting.
While the new deal ends the immediate dispute, Unite says bus workers remain among the lowest paid in the sector — and has pledged to continue pressing for fairer wages under franchising reforms.
