Staff on the West Midlands Metro are to take 53 days of strike action between October 2022 and January 2023 as the dispute over pay shows no signs of coming to a resolution. The first day of strike action will take place on Saturday 15th October with a further seven days of action in October, 21 in November, 21 in December and three in January.
The news comes after a ballot of 176 workers represented by the Unite union saw 86% vote in favour of striking (with a turn out of 84%). This equates to around 130 members voting to go on strike.
As with all the recent strike action affecting UK transport networks the main driver of this dispute is down to pay with the cost of living crisis hitting home. According to Unite, workers on the West Midlands Metro receive some of the lowest wages in the country for similar work and despite a significant rise being offered by management this has not met the expectations of staff and no further offer has been made despite negotiations.
The offer which was previously made public was as follows:
Tram Crew
- Starting salary for tram crew would increase from £19,773 to £21,500
- Salary of tram crew with 12 months service would rise from £21,939 to £25,250
Other staff
- Would receive a rise of 5.25%
The expectations of workers is that they would receive a minimum wage of £27,000.
Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary, said: “It is disgraceful that despite our members undertaking extremely demanding and responsible jobs and ensuring that Birmingham and the Black Country keeps moving, they are paid poverty wages. Unite always fights tooth and nail for its members as it ensures that their jobs, pay and conditions are defended and enhanced. Our members at Midlands Metro will receive the union’s unswerving support.”
Sultinder Singh, Unite Regional Officer, added: “Strike action will inevitably cause severe disruption and delays for metro passengers across Birmingham and the Black Country but this dispute is entirely of the company’s own making. Midland Metro has had every opportunity to come forward with a pay offer which tackled low pay and met our members’ expectations but it has chosen not to do so.”
Strikes are due to take place as follows:
October – 15, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31
November – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30
December – 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
January – 1, 2, 5
For their part Midland Metro Limited – who operate the network – have said that Unite have declined an offer to attend ACAS to continue negotiations but that the pay offer as previously offered remains on the table.
A spokesperson said: “Naturally, we are disappointed at the ballot result and the union’s decision to escalate the dispute, despite our extensive efforts to reach an amicable agreement. Unfortunately, Unite has also declined to continue negotiations through the conciliation service ACAS and has now informed us of dates on which they intend to undertake industrial action. However, a fair pay offer, including an increase of more than 15 per cent – or more than £3,300 a year – for tram crew with a full year’s service, remains on the table.
“These proposals also include an increase for tram crew in their first year who are still receiving training, bringing these salaries into line with those on similar-sized tram systems in other UK cities. Other colleagues across the network will also receive a significant pay rise. This fair and comprehensive package was put forward following a difficult couple of years for the network, during which we have supported our colleagues through the pandemic and more recent service suspensions that were beyond our control.
“These challenges have inevitably had an impact on revenues, and we continue to operate with financial support from West Midlands Combined Authority. As a result, the proposals, which were initially accepted by Unite, represent our best offer in the current circumstances.
“Clearly, any industrial action risks impacting on the network’s post-pandemic recovery as well as causing unnecessary disruption for customers who we will update on affected services in due course.”
Looking on the internet
Quote – The average tram driver’s salary in the United Kingdom is £25,043 per year. Entry-level positions usually start at £21,904 per year while most experienced workers make up to £31,840 per year.22 Jun 2022.
There are staff that have been there since day one ,that’s 23 years ago. There are plenty others with almost has long time on the job . Yet according to the above for the average Driver there stuck on entry level wages ?
It seems odd that the few that work the WM Twitter information get paid more than the front line working staff ?
Yesterday’s crush when WM trains were on strike saw Conductors working in extreme working conditions Trams so full many passingers were left behind after every arriving tram ,Driver’s also trying to keep to time while more and more passings piled on board .
Yet WM could not put extra trams on Why ?
Staff shortages . Why ? ate there always staff shortages? Because they come ,they get trained they work ,then leave .
Working conditions and poor pay .
This has been an on going problem for many many years .
They cannot run the wolvs to Birmingham route with out problems so how is the new extension to Dudley and the merry hell going fair ?
If you want high moral in your staff , better working conditions and better pay is needed.
sadly the WM metro has turned into a joke ,a laughing stock from the view of it’s staff and the public ,and in the ranking against other Tram networks .
And who is to blame ,the people who are paid higher wages that what the front line staff are asking for ,the people who don’t book on at 3am or book off at 1am you ,who ever you are have let this system be a joke.
To the front line staff ,you do an exerlant job
They the WM staff are Fully justified for what they are asking for ?
My daughter’s 28 , I told her how much the drives and conductors get ( dad I get more than that ! )
Don’t let the bas-+$&s grind you down .
So the wolvo extension won’t be opening this side of Christmas if the strikes go ahead
27k is all they are asking for, as the mayor Andy Street, id love to see you on 21k a year, please sort out the midland metro chaos, extension here, extension there & you can’t get the staff to do it because they are on inadequate, pathetic wages, peoples jobs on the line from 15th October . This chaos can be sorted before the strike starts . Lead the way mayor .
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