AROUND 130 bus drivers at East Coast Buses are being balloted for industrial action by their union Unite after rejecting a two-year pay deal.

Drivers at the company – part of the publicly owned Lothian Buses group – provide essential bus services linking Edinburgh with the East Lothian coast. They now have until July 24 to vote on strike action in a bid to secure a better deal.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said her union’s bus driver members “play a vital front-line role in keeping Edinburgh and East Lothian moving.

“East Coast Buses needs to make a decent offer and stop treating its workers with disdain,” she said.

Warning of the potential impact a strike in August could have, Unite industrial officer Mr Lyn Turner added: “East Coast Buses can quickly resolve this pay dispute if they want to by increasing its offer, which was rejected by our drivers.

“If they fail to then industrial action could hit major events including the Fringe Festival and Oasis concert at Murrayfield.”

Lothian Buses operations director Willie Hamilton said: “We are disappointed that despite constructive and positive discussions with Unite resulting in an overall offer of 9.3 per cent being recommended for acceptance, we have not yet reached agreement with colleagues from East Coast Buses.

“We remain absolutely committed to working jointly with Unite in the hope of reaching a resolution and avoiding industrial action.”