Nottingham Express Transit services are set to be severely disrupted in the lead-up to Christmas with GMB announcing 25 days of strike action in the ongoing pay dispute. The news of the dates comes with a warning from NET that they will only be able to run services when it is safe to do so for the wellbeing of passengers and staff.
The dates that GMB will be instructing its members to not work are:
- 22nd, 23rd, 30th and 31st October
- 2nd, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 27th, 28th and 29th November
- 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 26th, 27th and 31st December
This obviously includes Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, and also includes the first weekend of Nottingham’s Christmas Market.
This dispute has been brewing since June when the union rejected NET’s latest pay offer. This would have seen 3.3% increase and 7% for the lower paid members of staff. The union had previously said they were looking for a 4.1% increase.
Speaking following the announcement of these strike dates, Colin Whyatt, GMB Organiser, said: “Our members have been trying to resolve this dispute for almost a year. These workers have children and families of their own. Strike action is the last thing they want, especially this close to Christmas.
“But this is about their dignity at work, and a fair days pay for a fair days work.
“These strike dates will last through Nottinghamshire’s busiest Christmas shopping weeks. If tram bosses are serious about fixing the mess they’ve created, they’ll get around the table with a serious offer on pay”.
When the original announcement of strikes was made, NET had stated that over the past six years they had increased pay by a total of 29.8%. This was, they said, well above the national average. NET also said the pay increase being requested by the union was not financially viable for the future of the network.
After this latest announcement, Sarah Turner, Managing Director of NET, said: “It’s incredibly disappointing to receive GMB’s notice for a proposed 25-day strike period over the coming winter months.
“Pay talks with GMB first began at the start of this year, with disputes beginning in June. We understand the ongoing financial pressures and rising living costs many people across the nation are facing, and since pay talks first began, we have remained committed to reaching a resolution.
“This has seen us put forward multiple improved pay offers, with our recent offer proposing a 3.3 per cent pay increase and a 7 per cent increase for the lowest paid roles, with further improvements for night workers.
“The recent Goose Fair strike had a massive financial impact on the business, and if the proposed strike action does go ahead this month, that will only impact the business further.
“However, beyond the financial implications, the strike action also has very real consequences for the many people of Nottingham, during a period that is one of the city’s busiest times of the year.
“In the lead up to Christmas the city welcomes tens of thousands of people, who are looking to enjoy a spot of festive shopping and the annual Winter Wonderland event, with the trams offering a safe, reliable and sustainable way for them to do so.
“The most affected by this, will be those living in the surrounding areas where bus routes don’t run into the city, as well as those with additional accessibility needs, meaning many will simply not be able to travel into Nottingham.
“The proposed strike days have been orchestrated to create maximum damage to our service and maximum disruption to the lives of so many across the city, and we believe the people of Nottingham deserve better.
“The action is deliberate and calculated, with the intention of forcing us into a situation that puts the very survival of the network and a vital part of the city’s infrastructure at risk.
“We’d like to apologise to all our passengers for the distress and frustration the news of the upcoming strike action will no doubt cause. If the strike action does go ahead in line with GMB’s plans, we will do our utmost to still run a service during strike days.
“However, the safety and wellbeing of all our passengers and staff will always be our ultimate priority. As such, we will only run a service where it is safe to do so.”
Talks are set to take place between the two sides on Monday 12th October.