Buses and trams to run as normal during TfGM industrial action

With planned industrial action taking place from Thursday 12th December, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is reassuring passengers that buses and trams across the city-region will continue to run as normal.

TfGM staff in office-based roles and at interchanges, information and ticket offices, and in the customer contact centre will take part in industrial action over pay. Bus and tram drivers, who are employed directly by franchised and private operators and Metrolink operator KeolisAmey respectively, are not included in the planned action. Services will run as normal and transport interchanges will remain open. Passengers should be aware that, whilst they’ll still be able to make their journey with little disruption expected, some supporting facilities offered in Interchanges and from TfGM Travelshops may be reduced.

TfGM has made revised and improved pay offers for its staff, with a focus on reaching an agreement with unions and avoiding strike action. Despite discussions continuing, Unison and Unite unions are planning industrial action over pay.

TfGM’s latest pay offer to unions is weighted to deliver the largest pay rise to those who are paid the least, with those who earn the most proposed to get the lowest uplift. All staff would get a raise in their 2024/25 pay of between 9.5% and 2.5%, with all continuing to be paid above the Real Living Wage.

Steve Warrener, Managing Director at TfGM, said:

“The planned strikes do not affect drivers or any other bus or Metrolink staff. We’re reassuring passengers that their buses and trams will still run and we’ll keep Greater Manchester moving.

“Whilst there will naturally be some changes for passengers – including limited access to toilets and fewer people to provide information on strike days – we’ll be doing all we can to ensure such inconveniences are minimised.

“We’re still talking to union representatives and our focus is on reaching agreement and avoiding any industrial action, which could still be called off should they choose.  

“We recognise the need to support our hard-working colleagues facing cost of living pressures. But we also need to balance this with the challenging financial situation in the public sector. We feel it’s right we focus our attention on giving the biggest rises to those who are paid the least, that’s how we’ve structured of pay offers to the unions which have to date been rejected.”