Cleaning staff on Manchester Metrolink are to take three days of strike action after voting in favour of industrial action. The ballot was taken after the terms and conditions of the staff are said to have been eroded since the contract was outsourced to Bidvest Noonan.
It has been announced they will be taking strike action on 29th September, 6th, 13th and 20th October.
Shaun Buckley, GMB Organiser, said: “Manchester’s tram workers have delivered a 100 per cent yes vote to take industrial action to demand the return of their sickness benefit scheme and bank holiday pay rates. Since the contract was outsourced, GMB members have suffered worse terms and conditions and a merry-go-round of changing employers winning contracts to clean the trams.
“If Transport for Greater Manchester, the Manchester Mayor’s Office and Bidvest Noonan want to stop travel chaos for the city, the must stop the erosion of terms and conditions for these already low paid workers.”
A spokesperson from Transport for Greater Manchester said that they did not expect the strike to impact services: “Bidvest Noonan are contracted to KeolisAmey Metrolink (KAM) for cleaning of trams, stops and facilities, and some maintenance work. This pay dispute is between Bidvest Noonan and their employees, and any matters relating to pay are not for KAM or TfGM to comment on. We can also confirm that we do not anticipate any industrial action to impact services.”