Chief Minister Alfred Cannan has said government has made its ‘final offer’ to end the ongoing bus drivers’ dispute, as he warned contingency plans may be needed if the latest proposal is rejected.

Speaking in the House of Keys on Tuesday, Mr Cannan confirmed that an eighth pay offer had been issued overnight following the rejection of a previous deal by members of Unite the Union.

Industrial action by Bus Vannin drivers began with a 10-day walkout in February and has continued throughout March, including a series of weekend strikes. Further ballots for additional walkouts are expected.

Mr Cannan told members that the previous offer, the seventh put forward by the Department of Infrastructure, represented a ‘significant average increase in pay per bus driver annually’ and included measures to harmonise pay across drivers.

He added that a new proposal had now been submitted, which he described as a ‘very positive final offer’.

‘I very much hope this will be accepted by the drivers,’ he said.

Unite the Union members back on the picket line in the sun at Banks Circus on Friday afternoon
Unite the Union members back on the picket line in the sun at Banks Circus on Friday afternoon (Media Isle of Man)

The Chief Minister indicated there had been some encouraging signs in negotiations, stating that ‘positive verbal recognition was received when this offer was given’.

However, he stopped short of detailing what the latest package includes, stressing that he did not want to ‘inflame what is clearly a delicate negotiation’.

Despite this, he acknowledged that the dispute may not yet be resolved.

‘If this is not successful, then the government, the Council of Ministers and the Department of Infrastructure more broadly are going to have to consider what contingency plans will then have to be brought forward,’ he said.

Mr Cannan also expressed hope that a resolution could be reached quickly, adding: ‘I’m hopeful resolution can be achieved this week.’

During questions, members raised concerns about the length of the dispute and its potential impact on key events, including upcoming GCSE exams and the Isle of Man TT.

One member noted it has been more than 40 days since industrial action was first announced, with just weeks to go before the island enters a busy summer period.

In response, the Chief Minister reiterated that discussions appear to be progressing and said it was important not to escalate tensions while negotiations were ongoing.

‘This is fundamentally an industrial dispute and is a matter for the department,’ he said, while confirming that the Council of Ministers has been receiving regular updates.

Questions were also raised about the scale of opposition to previous offers, with it noted that 91% of drivers had rejected the last proposal in a ballot.

Mr Cannan declined to be drawn into further detail but insisted the latest offer was being given ‘proper and full consideration’ by the union.

He added that government would provide further updates if an agreement is not reached in the coming days.

Public transport disruption has continued in recent weeks as a result of the industrial action, with services affected across the island.