Unite the Union have confirmed that their members have voted in favour of strike action on Manchester Metrolink with the first strike set to take place between Friday 5th and Sunday 7th December 2025. The strike comes over concerns about driver’s fatigue with Unite claiming that KeolisAmeyMetrolink have ignored these concerns over a period of time.
320 drivers have voted in favour of the action. Currently drivers’ shift patterns mean they work 450 hours over a 12-week period. This means that some drivers work 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern. Unite also say that they have fewer rest days compared to colleagues in other operational departments such as engineering and customer support.
Unite claim that they have repeatedly raised the issue with management but have been told there is no funding available to make any changes to working patterns.
Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary, said: “Driver fatigue is a major safety issue for both our members and passengers, but Metrolink management is not taking this seriously. Metrolink is guilty of not acting on our member’s concerns. It can’t ignore this issue any longer. Our members will have Unite’s full support throughout this strike.”
The first planned strike will take place from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th December. This would have been a busy weekend for Metrolink with Manchester’s Christmas Markets ongoing as well as concerts by Ed Sheeran, Jamiroquai and Pete Tong, and the Manchester City v Sunderland Premier League match.
Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s Chief Network Officer, said: “Since we were informed of the outcome of the tram drivers’ ballot, we’ve been working directly with drivers, Unite and the operator Keolis Amey Metrolink to explore the rosters in detail and come up with practical solutions that address the union’s concerns.”
Damian Chabas, Managing Director of KeolisAmeyMetrolink, said: “We’ve received notice of industrial action following ongoing discussions with Unite and TfGM on the review of current driver rosters. Driver welfare and managing fatigue are key priorities for us. While our rosters already align with safety standards, we’re committed to making ongoing sustainable improvements that benefit our drivers and avoid disruptions to customers. We are committed to continuing meaningful discussion with Unite and TfGM to find balanced solutions that are viable for the long term sustainability of Metrolink and support the delivery of a safe and reliable service for passengers.”