Further disruption on buses in Doncaster as more strike dates confirmed
There are set to be more walkouts next week
Last updated 8th Apr 2026
There's set to be further disruption on buses across Doncaster as further strike dates have been confirmed by Unite.
Drivers were already set to walk out on April 22 and 24, after previous strike dates on March 28 and 30, as well as yesterday (April 7).
They've now confirmed further walkouts next week on April 14 and 17.
The dispute centres on the issue of pay, with Unite claiming drivers in Doncaster as getting less than colleagues in Sheffield just a short distance away.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "First Bus can fully afford to give these drivers, who do their same job as their counterparts down the road, the same wages but is choosing to prioritise greed.
"Our members at First South Yorkshire continue to have Unite's full support."
Unite regional officer Christian Ratcliffe said: "Escalating strike action will be very disruptive, but it is entirely the fault of First Bus for creating a two-tier pay system.
“Drivers at First South Yorkshire feel they have no choice but to continue to take action to make their voices. First Bus must reconsider its actions to avoid further industrial action.”
Zoe Hands, Managing Director of First Bus Manchester, Midlands & South Yorkshire, said:
“We are doing all we can with the resources we have to put buses on the road where possible and keep customers moving during industrial action, and importantly those who rely on us to make essential trips.
“We have volunteers supporting our Doncaster operations and this has meant covering certain costs to enable them to live and work away from home, in addition to extended working hours.
“Our latest pay offer includes an immediate seven per cent pay increase, more than double the current inflation rate, backdated to January 2026, and would deliver an overall 18 per cent pay rise by July 2027."
She added: “Because pay negotiations are conducted at different times across our depots, Doncaster and Sheffield drivers have different pay anniversary dates, so their rates are not always aligned, which is a normal part of the pay negotiation cycle across separate locations.
“First Bus has been flexible to union demands and made multiple offers, such that the pay deal now on the table is beyond what many workers are likely to see this year, yet Unite representatives have shown no willingness to move their position.
"Our door remains open for discussions to find an agreement and avoid any further unnecessary industrial action.”