BUS drivers in the borough staged their third strike on Monday as union representatives met company bosses in an attempt to resolve their pay dispute.

First drivers are taking action because they have had no pay rise this year despite the company making profits of £134 million last year.

Only school buses were operating across Bury, Bolton and Wigan.

The drivers’ union, Unite, has met with company bosses several times, but the two parties have so far been unable to agree on a solution.

A fourth 24-hour strike is scheduled for Monday, and Unite’s regional industrial organiser Bobby Morton said the action could escalate nationally if no agreement is reached by the end of the month.

He said: “First Bus is not struggling or failing. It made millions of pounds in profits this year and is taking advantage of the recession to attack workers’ pay.

“Our members deserve a fair wage and we are determined to see that they get it.”

Andrew Scholey, managing director of First Bus, said: “We are disappointed that Unite continues to claim we have not offered anything.

“We have offered a two per cent pay increase in April, 2010, and guaranteed no compulsory redundancies for driving staff.”