The full story from the Pressreader link shared earlier is copied below, and adds a bit more detail and context as to why the situation has occurred.
“Nine bus drivers who operated the 700 and 701 bus services in Sunderland for City Transport Group say they have been left in limbo without pay, redundancy or a notice period after a dispute over the proposed transfer of their contracts to Go North East.
City Transport Group buses at the yard where they are stored.
The drivers say they were informed last month by their employer City Transport they would cease to operate the two Sunderland services but that their current contracts were being transferred to Go North East under the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations 2006 (TUPE) legislation.
However, when the drivers turned up at Go North East’s Sunderland depot, as instructed, they were informed no such agreement was in place.
The drivers travelled to the company’s head office in Gateshead and say they received the same message.
Bosses at City
Transport Group say Go North East are now going to be operating the bus routes and that the drivers’ contracts should be protected and transferred to the new operator under TUPE.
Go North East, however, lay the responsibility in the hands of City Transport, with a spokesperson saying “we are not in a position to comment on outstanding matters relating to the previous operator and its employees”.
The situation has left the drivers in limbo and currently unemployed.
One, who is 25 and who has been a driver for five years, said: “We’ve not received our pay for the month we worked from March to April.
“We’re not asking for special treatment – we just want fairness and clarity.
"We followed the instructions we were
given, turned up for work in good faith, and now many of us are left without wages, without answers, and worrying about how we’re going to pay our bills.
“We all have families and mortgages.”
“It’s been stressful for everyone involved and we’re hoping the companies will engage properly so this can be resolved.”
After being contacted by the Echo, a City Transport Group spokesperson said: “We are concerned to hear of difficulties that former staff are encountering with the new operator of
this contract.
“We became informally aware that the new operator was to be Go North East on April 20, with them to start from April 27.
"We made contact that day to attempt to discuss arrangements and were met with flimsy legal arguments about why they did not wish to undertake the various statutory things that need to be done in a Service Provision Change situation.
“Employment legislation provides that where a contract changes from one service provider to another – still working
We’re not asking for special treatment – we just want fairness
on behalf of the same end client, in this case Nexus – that the employment of the staff in an ‘organised grouping’ specific to that contract is protected.
“As Sunderland
Connect is a long-term service which has operated for around 10 years, and with its funding secured until at least autumn 2027, it‘s not a “short term task” regardless of how long our tenure was, or how long or short the tenure of the new operator may be.
“This legislation is the TUPE. City Transport complied with legal duties upon us to notify affected employees and are disgusted at the treatment they’ve received at the hands of a much larger business.”
The statement goes on to claim that any money owed is the obligation of Go North East.
We put this statement to Go North East and a spokesperson responded: “Go North East was requested by Nexus to operate Sunderland Connect services 700 and 701 on an emergency basis following the termination of the previous operator’s contract.
“We appreciate this will be an uncertain situation for those affected, however, we are not in a position to comment on outstanding matters relating to the previous operator and its employees."
The bus drivers have released a joint statement, calling for clarity, rights to be adhered to, and to be paid any money owed.
A spokesperson said: “From the drivers’ perspective, the issue is not complicated. We were informed in writing that we would transfer under TUPE to the new operator, Go North East, following the change of operator on the Sunderland Connect service. Based on those written assurances, we attended for work believing our employment had transferred lawfully.
“Instead, drivers were turned away and informed that no TUPE transfer had been accepted.
"Since then, many drivers have been left without work, without wages owed to them, without holiday pay, and without formal notice explaining their employment status.
“We feel caught in the middle of a legal argument between operators while being left with no clear answers.
“The personal impact on drivers has been severe. These are working people with rent, mortgages, children, bills, and financial responsibilities.”
The dispute is currently in the hands of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), an independent UK public body which looks to resolve workplace disputes. If they fail to get a satisfactory resolution, the drivers say they will take the matter to an employment tribunal.
The spokesperson added: “Drivers are hopeful all parties will engage constructively with ACAS so matters can be resolved fairly and employees can recover what is rightfully owed, without the need to escalate proceedings to an employment tribunal.
“We hope those involved will respect the seriousness of the situation and the impact it’s having.”
“We are ordinary drivers who simply turned up for work in good faith. Instead, we are left in limbo between two operators while trying to understand who is actually responsible for our jobs, wages, and rights.”
The Sunderland Connect service is overseen by Nexus.
Helen Mathews, commercial director at Nexus said: “Following an ongoing review of performance of the 700 and 701 Sunderland Connect bus services, we’ve taken the decision to end the contract with the current operator.
“This route provides a vital link between the city centre and Sunderland University’s St Peter’s Campus and we therefore want to secure the best possible service for customers moving forward.
“The new temporary operator, Go North East, began operating the route from 27 April. This has allowed the continuation of service whilst an appropriate procurement process takes place.
“We recognise the uncertainty this situation is creating for the individuals affected and appreciate why concerns are being raised.
“We do care about the people impacted, as well as the customers that use this service. We’ve taken all reasonable steps to promptly engage with both parties but cannot comment further on the dialogue between the outgoing and incoming suppliers.”
