A COUNTY councillor has called for an end to strike action that has caused severe travel disruption across Northumberland.

It comes after Unite the Union rejected Go North East’s latest attempts to reach a compromise over pay. The union pledged to “dramatically increase” strike action on Friday after it accused the employer of failing to come back to the table with an improved offer.

Workers went out on strike on Saturday for a further week. It has left Go North East unable to offer any services apart from school buses.

Speaking this week, Cllr Gordon Stewart – who represents the Prudhoe South ward on Northumberland County Council – called for an end to the strike.

The Conservative councillor said: “‘This strike is impacting on so many people – those who work for the company and their families.

“It is also impacting the many hundreds of regular users across the Tynedale area and beyond. People cannot do hospital visits, go shopping and tourism is affected while mental health damaged as people find it harder to get out. There is also a public protection issue, with people being stranded or forced to walk which may subject them to being targeted.

“The impact on jobs and the future of a large number of businesses should all be considered. The long-term future of the company and the services must be in doubt, due to reliability concerns and also that people are now finding ways to go about their lives without a bus.

“It is also causing greater congestion, and environmental and health impacts as well. Both parties need to work every day to get it sorted.”

However, Unite is refusing to back down and pledged to back members “to the hilt”.

General secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is appalling behaviour from Go North East. The parent company is awash with cash and yet it is refusing to offer our members a decent pay rise in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

“Unite won’t back down in the face of intimidation and we will be backing our members to the hilt during their increased industrial action.”

Go North East has in turn slammed the union over the continued strike action. Go North East business director Ben Maxfield said: “This dispute and strike are entirely of Unite’s making. All we want is for the local union representatives to work constructively and collaboratively with us to secure the region’s bus services”.