PAY talks to avert more bus strikes appear to have broke down today, meaning industrial action could rumble on throughout December.

A joint negotiating committee from GMB and Unite met with Arriva today in a bid to resolve the dispute which has caused traffic and commuter chaos across the North West.

Strikes had already been announced for November 20 and 27.

Now it appears Arriva workers will walk out of 11 depots, including St Helens, on December 4, 7, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22 and 23.

The unions will ballot its members next week on the latest offer, with the strong recommendation to reject.

Unite said that the management had today offered an additional one penny per hour on its previous offer.

Phil Stone, MD for Arriva North West: “Arriva tabled a further improved and final offer for our drivers at a meeting with UNITE and GMB today [17th November].

”We have listened to the Union and responded positively by offering a one year pay deal that ensures the hourly rates of all our drivers remains highly competitive within the industry.

“The offer for Merseyside is 2.6% rising to 3% after 6 months. This is now the fourth improved pay offer that Arriva has made since commencement of the strike action.

”It is a fair pay deal for our drivers, and one that importantly ensures the long-term sustainability of the business going forward.

“In the interests of our drivers and our customers, we have recommended that the union undertakes a confidential postal ballot for the membership facilitated by ACAS, the costs of which Arriva will cover. But the Union have declined this, and have confirmed they will be doing a consultative ballot at each garage next week.

“The Union has planned 11 more days of disruption for our customers. We hope this generous pay offer will be accepted and bring an end to the strike action.”

Unite regional officer John Boughton said:“This below inflation final offer is an insult to Arriva employees, to the people in the communities in which Arriva operates and to businesses which will be affected by further strike action. 

“This offer shows the contempt for workers who are fighting to stop their pay being eroded by the impact of inflation. The company has made a cynical decision to put more profit before the needs of the communities it serves. 

“The unions believe the pay claim is affordable given the high profitability of Arriva North West. 

“To put it into context, the highest paid director in Arriva North West has more money put into his pension each year than the average pay of a bus worker in the north west region. 

“The announcement of nine new strike dates in the run-up to Christmas will be inconvenient for the travelling public, but our members are reluctantly taking this action as they have hit a brick wall with an intransigent management. 

“We want an ‘equitable pay award’ across the company and for Arriva to tackle wage inequalities of up to £1.73 an hour between depots, as our members are struggling generally with the constant rising cost of living.

"The bosses know what would settle this dispute, and it's not a king's ransom as this company makes huge profits. All our members want is a fair share of the profits they help generate by their dedicated work in all weathers."