Cleaning workers at First Bus in Doncaster have joined their Sheffield colleagues in a dispute over low pay. 

The workers, employed by Bidvest Noonan, are demanding a real Living Wage of £12 per hour, a wage they believe their employer can easily afford.

Real Living wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living.

Despite First Bus being a real Living Wage employer since April, its contractor, Bidvest Noonan, has refused to pay its workers the same rate. This has led to growing discontent among workers in both Sheffield and Doncaster.

General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “As a First Bus contractor, Bidvest Noonan is obligated to pay the living wage, which it can absolutely afford to do. First Bus needs to make it explicitly clear to Bidvest Noonan that promises to pay the living wage in the distant future are not good enough.

“Unite’s Bidvest Noonan members at First Bus in Sheffield and Doncaster have their union’s total and unflinching support in their fight to receive what they are entitled to.”

Bidvest Noonan is part of the Bidvest Group, which earned £278 million in profits in the half year to December 2023. 

Unite the Union, which represents the workers, has expressed its full support for the strike action. 

The union has warned that strike action will escalate if the dispute remains unresolved. This could lead to significant disruptions to bus services in both Sheffield and Doncaster.

Strikes will take place at Sheffield’s Olive Grove for three days a week in October and four days a week in November. 

Unite’s regional officer Christian Ratcliffe said: “Bidvest Noonan’s greed has caused this dispute and it is completely responsible for any resultant disruption to First passengers in Sheffield and Doncaster.

“This dispute will continue to spread and escalate until Bidvest Noonan stops insisting that workers will have to wait until November 2026 to receive the real living wage.”