WORKERS at bus company Xplore Dundee have begun a 12-week strike in a dispute over pay, terms and conditions.

They were out in force at pickets around the city today amid their year-long dispute with the private monopoly operator owned by the billionaire Easdale brothers.

And union Unite has accused the employer of dirty tricks: pictures of the city’s closed Michelin and Timex factories were reported posted on notice boards in order to intimidate staff during the recent ballot for industrial action.

But the ballot for action displayed huge support for a strike, as 93 per cent of the 88.6 per cent of workers who voted backing a strike.

Speaking to the Star, Unite’s Dougie Maguire was scathing of the employer’s behaviour. He said many workers don’t receive sick pay, and are owed hundreds of days in holidays, amid a recruitment crisis.

“Our members are after a double-digit increase to deal with inflation,” he said. “When I told them we’d have to ballot for strike action we were told that if you have a strike we will put the company into administration and fire and rehire our members.

“Their answer to the recruitment crisis has been to reduce holidays, scrap sick pay and offer an extra pound an hour: that’s the people we’re dealing with.”

Scottish Labour North East MSP Mercedes Villalba attended the picket in solidarity with the striking workers.

“We’ve seen over the past few years a decline in the service through no fault of the workers,” she said.

“Billionaires running a monopoly bus service is wrong. Vital public services, like our public transport infrastructure, should be run in the interest of the public and workers. It should be publicly owned.”

Xplore Dundee was contacted for comment.