ONE of the striking bus drivers in Weymouth claims there is "not an end in sight" to the current industrial action.

Bus drivers in Weymouth and Bridport are currently in the second week of a walkout over pay, with four more days of action scheduled.

Drivers are set to walk out tomorrow (Sun), followed by Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday next week.

The driver, who did not wish to be named, said that negotiations between First Dorset and union Unite have been going on for nearly a year and no agreement has been reached.

One of drivers' main concerns is that they earn less than their counterparts in other branches of First Group and feel like "poor relations" in the company.

First has argued that the drivers' demands are unaffordable.

Drivers in Weymouth earn £8.80 an hour in comparison to the £9.50 earned by drivers in equivalent roles in Yeovil.

The driver told the Echo that "parity with Yeovil" is all union members want from First, which would amount to an eight per cent pay increase.

He added: "There is not an end in sight for us.

"All the drivers have had it for years. They have always been the poor relations.

"The majority of the public are with us.

"Listen to how many people are honking their horns when we are down there. We have made our point."

Alternative timetables have been in place throughout the strike period.

First Dorset has said that it has been able to operate 87 per cent of normal services during the industrial action.

The driver said First was spending a "ridiculous" sum of money on bringing in staff from across the country to plug the gaps.

He added: "What they are spending at the moment on drivers coming down, that would have paid for our rise."

Marc Reddy, First Dorset managing director, said that this was "not a fair comparison".

He said: "It is comparing apples with pears.

"This is a one-off cost, whereas an eight per cent pay award is there going forward and what our costs are and our revenue has to marry up."

The bus driver argued that First had been "moving money around" rather than upping their offer.

Mr Reddy said: "We have offered numerous different pay offers and we have moved a long way in making a reasonable and fair offer that the business can afford.

"The union’s demands of eight per cent are just not affordable."

Mr Reddy urged the union to use the ACAS formal arbitration service to come to a binding settlement.

He said: "Every dispute is resolved, but every dispute is resolved through negotiation."

Jackie Isbell is chairman of the First Dorset customer panel and runs the First Buses Weymouth Facebook page.

She said that public opinion was “fifty-fifty”.

She added: “They do get a lot of tooting and people are telling them to keep at it, but it is a bit difficult for people getting out and about.”