YET more industrial action is set to hit Weymouth and Bridport's buses as union representatives announce a further 23 days of strikes.

Talks between First Dorset and Unite the Union today have once again broken down leaving Unite to announce 23 days of strikes between now and September 3.

This announcement comes five weeks after bus drivers in Weymouth and Bridport began their walkout over pay on Monday June 20.

A spokesman from First Dorset said: "Today, managers from First Dorset met with union representatives at ACAS for conciliation talks.

"While we would have preferred to enter into formal arbitration as a means of bringing this dispute to a swift conclusion, we were happy to talk to try and find a negotiated settlement.

“Unfortunately the discussions have not been productive, so the industrial action is set to continue. The union also notified us by email, just five minutes into the meeting, of its intention to hold a further 23 days of action between now and 3 September. We feel this goes against the spirit of meaningful talks. We find their actions thoroughly disappointing.

“We want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible but as we have previously stated, we are not able to agree to inflation busting pay demands which will cripple our local business.

“Our offer of a 2.3% increase over two years remains on the table, as does our offer to go to binding arbitration. We hope that the union will come to its senses and see that arbitration, where an independent person having listened to both sides of the argument makes a binding judgement on what is a fair pay award, is the only way to resolve this dispute.

“We would stress again that the longer this goes on, the more damage it does to local people, the local economy and our local business, and it increases the possibility of journeys and or services being cut, and the and the associated jobs being lost, as we complete a root and branch review of the local network."

The striking drivers have the support of the Dorchester, Weymouth & Portland TUC., a spokesman has said.

In a statement released to the Echo, the TUC branch said: "We want to dispel a number of myths about the dispute. It has been rumbling on for years, the bone of contention being the fact that Weymouth fleet pay the worst wages in the entire First empire.

"All Weymouth drivers are asking for is wage parity with Yeovil fleet (not the best paid) – a fleet with a lower average fare return ( £50 a day, compared to a Weymouth level of £1500) yet a much higher wage rate (£9.50 – £10.85 per hour, compared to £8.80 - £9.48 per hour for Weymouth). It seems that First are paying such low wages simply because they think they can get away with it."

The statement continued: "DW&P TUC urges local workers to take collections for the drivers and deliver them to the picket lines at Weymouth Bus Station on Monday, Wednesday or Friday mornings.

"We urge First Bus to stop wasting money on bussing in strikebreaker sand putting them up at the Rembrandt, and to negotiate a fair pay deal giving parity with Yeovil depot.

"Bus workers spend their wages in the local economy. What benefits them, benefits the community as a whole. Their fight is our fight."