The planned continuous strike by First Cymru bus drivers, due to begin on Thursday 20 November, has been postponed until 7 December, according to a late-night Facebook post by Neath Port Talbot Council leader Cllr Steve Hunt.
Cllr Hunt published the update at 10.31pm on Tuesday, writing:
“The First Cymru bus drivers strike has been postponed and will not go ahead from this Thursday 20th November. After talks today between First Cymru and Unite the Union, the planned strike action that was to continue from this Thursday 20th November has been postponed until 7th December.”
At the time of writing, no official confirmation has been issued by either First Cymru or Unite, leaving passengers awaiting clarity on whether services will run as normal later this week.
Pay dispute that sparked the strike
The strike action was announced earlier this month after negotiations over pay broke down. Unite members at depots across Swansea, Port Talbot, Bridgend, Carmarthen, Ammanford and Haverfordwest had voted to escalate to a continuous strike running until 21 January.
Drivers have argued that their current pay rate of £13.40 per hour lags behind competitors such as Stagecoach, which pays £14.44 per hour. Unite has demanded a minimum of £14.30 per hour plus back pay, accusing First Cymru of withholding agreed payments and attempting to undermine union solidarity by offering £50 incentives to cross picket lines.
Union anger and company warnings
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham previously described the company’s approach as “union-busting” and said drivers were “furious” at being left behind in the industry.
First Cymru, meanwhile, has insisted it has made an above-inflation pay offer alongside investment in staff facilities and benefits, and warned that prolonged strikes would cause “hugely disruptive” impacts for passengers.
What happens next
If the postponement is confirmed, bus services across South and West Wales may continue as normal until 7 December, when Unite has indicated action could resume if no agreement is reached.
For now, passengers are advised to check for updates directly from First Cymru and Unite the Union, as neither has yet issued a formal statement on the postponement.
