HUNDREDS of firefighters and bus drivers are on strike in South Yorkshire.
South Yorkshire firefighters will stage their second 24-hour strike as part of a long-running dispute over senior officers’ plans to change shift patterns.
Meanwhile, bus drivers working for First in Sheffield will take part in the first of two 24-hour strikes in a row over disciplinary action. The second will be on Sunday.
Steve Clark, Unite regional industrial organiser, said: "Sheffield has outstanding collective grievances that still need to be resolved, like the company’s attitude to disciplinary action."
Strikes are being held in Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield over pay.
Unite accused First Group, of which First South Yorkshire Ltd is its Yorkshire subsidiary, of using the recession as "an excuse to freeze pay".
But Mr Clark said strikes have been suspended over this issue after First improved its pay offer.
Mr Clark said: "We have suspended strikes regarding the wages issue pending a ballot next Thursday."
The firefighters’ dispute erupted over proposals to implement a 12-hour shift pattern, instead of the current pattern of nine-hour days and 15-hour nights.
Firefighters have argued that new shift patterns would present families with problems, including childcare arrangements. The first 24-hour strike took place on Monday.
