A MAJOR employer has defended its "very fair" pay offer as hundreds of workers stage a two-day walkout.
Bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis is holding pay talks with the trade union Unite, whose members have taken further strike action today, with another day planned tomorrow (Wednesday).
The company said it was disappointed that its offer of a four per cent pay rise had been rejected, but said it was keen to work with colleagues and the union to resolve the pay dispute.
As reported by The Press, Unite said 400 workers at the Scarborough site were taking strike action, having taken industrial action on previous days since late June.
Scarborough Alexander Dennis defends pay offer during strike.
(Image: Unite)
Unite described the four per cent offer as insufficient given long-term stagnation in wage growth, and warned that additional action was likely if there was no resolution.
But a spokesperson for Alexander Dennis said: "Alexander Dennis is one of the top-paying employers in Scarborough and has made a very fair and above-inflation offer of a 4% pay rise.
"The UK bus manufacturing sector is under intense pressure—costs are rising and half of all new buses now come from overseas.
"Unite has been actively involved in lobbying government for greater support for UK bus manufacturing, which would support the Scarborough site, and the union has full knowledge of the sector-specific challenges we face.
"Against this backdrop, it is incredibly disappointing that our offer has been rejected.
"We are committed to working with the union and our team members to bring this matter to a resolution."
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The company pointed out that Alexander Dennis' pay rates for vehicle builders and operational team members are the highest in the industry.
UK bus manufacturers are facing increasing labour, energy, and other input costs and are being undercut by manufacturers in Egypt and China, which made up 51 per cent of new zero-emission buses in the UK in 2025.
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