MORE than 300 workers began a two-day strike at bus company First South West over a pay and working conditions row today.

RMT union members set up picket lines across the region after the company “repeatedly failed to put forward acceptable offers to bus workers, despite the parent company, First Group, announcing pre-tax profits of £139 million, up 33 per cent from the previous year.”

The offers did not meet the members' aspirations, were only aimed at bus drivers, and excluded other grades such as engineers, supervisors, clerical staff, and cleaners, the union said.