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Major disruption is expected across south west Wales as a series of bus strikes are set to go ahead, following the rejection of a new pay offer by workers at First Cymru. Members of the Unite union voted to reject the company's latest pay proposal. That offer had previously ked the union to suspend strike action that was due to take place on October 22. However, it is understood that the deal was ultimately turned down because it did not include back pay owed to staff. As a result, strikes will take place on October 30 and 31, and November 1 and 2, with further action scheduled for November 5, 6, 7, and 8. Unite has said the dispute could escalate, with additional strikes possible over the Christmas period. Following the announcement, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said: "First is guilty of trying to deny workers the back pay they are fully entitled to, in order to line its own pockets. "Our members have roundly rejected this latest offer which denies them pay justice and they have Unite's complete support throughout this dispute." Unite has accused First Cymru, part of the national First Group transport network, of paying some of the lowest wages in the industry. The union said that new recruits are paid a lower wage for their first 12 months, creating "a two-tier workforce that breeds unhappiness among staff." Union representatives also said that the recent announcement of the Real Living Wage rising to £13.45 in 2026 has reinforced members' frustration, arguing that their roles are being undervalued. According to Unite, drivers in south west Wales earn up to £3 per hour less than those at other Welsh operators and at First Bus in Bristol. Unite's regional coordinating officer Alan McCarthy said: "Communities across South Wales will now face bus chaos, but their anger should be directed at profiteering bus bosses who are seeking to short-change our members." Passengers are being advised to expect significant disruption to services during the strike dates, with many routes likely to be cancelled or reduced. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here In response, Doug Claringbold, Managing Director for First Bus in Cymru, commented: "We are disappointed for our customers that the above inflation pay offer we made to our colleagues, including drivers, has been rejected and that they will now face disruption. "Throughout this extensive negotiation process, we have listened to Unite the Union member feedback and made a number of offers in order to try and settle this dispute, to ensure customers who rely on our services are not affected by strike action. "Unfortunately, rather than work with us to find a resolution, Unite the Union has decided to press ahead with strikes, affecting our customers. Our door remains open to negotiation. "We will shortly provide further information on our website about which services will be affected." Full details of what services have been affected, can be found here.
