BUS workers in Brighton and Hove have backed strike action, saying they are working in a culture of fear and under increasingly draconian management. 

Unite union members at Brighton and Hove Buses and its subsidiary Metrobus, in Crawley, have voted by 71.4 per cent in favour of strike action, with 83.3 per cent backing industrial action short of a strike.

Announcing the vote today, Unite said Brighton and Hove Buses was once heralded as a model employer but matters had deteriorated after a "new hard line management team" took over. 

Today (Wednesday) the GMB confirmed its driver members at Brighton and Hove Buses had also voted 83 per cent in favour of strike action in a consultative ballot. 

Unite said Brighton and Hove Buses was "facing an exodus of bus drivers and engineers and a resulting deterioration in customer service". 

It urged managers to "stop paying lip service to good industrial relations and commit to working with the union to change the ‘culture of fear’ at the company".

Unite regional officer Janet Henney said many members now dreaded going into work. 

She said: "They have had enough of being bullied, intimidated and spied on when on sick leave and want to see an end to the ‘Draconian’ management style which has created a culture of fear.

“Our members take great pride in keeping Brighton, Hove and Crawley on the move, but as the overwhelming backing for industrial action shows, have reached the end of line.

“Unite urges senior management to stop paying lip service to good industrial relations and start making the firm the model employer it was once again.

"Otherwise our members will be left with little option but to give up a day’s pay and go on strike.”

Expanding on its claim the company had spied on staff, Unite said there was "at least one instance" of the company hiring a private investigator to conduct covert surveillance on an individual off sick. 

Strike action requires seven days notice, meaning any action could, at the earliest, coincide with next week's planned five-day rail conductors' strike. 

Martin Harris, Brighton and Hove Buses chief executive, said only just over half of its Unite members voted in the ballot. 

The union said it had only ballotted around 80 per cent of its members, stressing that turnout was therefore around 62 per cent. 

Mr Harris said Unite's ballot represented only around 42 per cent of the company's total workforce of drivers, engineers and cleaners. 

He added: "In the light of this, I would strongly urge Unite officials to stop using inflammatory and over-the-top language if we are to resolve this in the best interests of our colleagues - their members - and our customers.

"We have both agreed to meet again an I will be approaching those discussions openly and constructively to find a resolution.

"We successfully engaged with UNITE many months ago to initiate a full suite of new employment policies setting out our standards of behaviour, including dealing with bullying if it arose.

"Individual allegations of bullying would be investigated with the trade union and dealt with appropriately."

Mr Harris said he did not accept that staff had been bullied into working overtime.

He added:"We would like to reiterate that overtime working by drivers, extra hours and rest day working are all purely voluntary. 

"We have worked hard to reduce a temporary driver shortage by bringing in extra staff to improve services and relieve pressure on our drivers. 

"Our drivers have a tough job and do it brilliantly, but it is their prerogative to say no to overtime offers, and that is absolutely respected by us."

He added: "I sincerely apologise to all our customers for the anxiety this situation must be causing them and any disruption that may result.

"I will of course do everything I can to keep our customers informed of any plans that will  impact on their services."