Victorian bus commuters have been handed a late reprieve, with more than 1000 drivers cancelling planned strikes after receiving a pay offer.
Drivers working for state government-contracted Transdev and CDC had scheduled industrial action for Thursday in their fight for a four per cent pay rise and one per cent increase in superannuation, but last-minute negotiations prompted the Transport Workers Union to cancel the strike.
Details of the pay offer were not made public but were "within what the TWU was demanding on behalf of members and does not include any trade-offs", the union said on Wednesday.
The offer will be taken to workers.
"As a show of good faith in the bargaining process we have called off tomorrow's action involving CDC members until that vote takes place."
The improved offer came after Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas and Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan met the union on Tuesday in an effort to prevent the strike action.
The ministers then met CDC and the company returned to the table with the improved pay offer, the union said.
"I'm pleased that all parties returned to the negotiating table and those discussions have resulted in a successful outcome," Public Transport Victoria deputy chief Alan Fedda said in a statement.
Negotiations between CDC and the TWU have been underway for more than four months.
The strike would have affected routes across Melbourne as well as services at Geelong and Ballarat.
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