Tram strikes called off days before Parklife festival starts

Tram strikes have been called off days before they were due to cause chaos for punters at Parklife festival and other major events in Greater Manchester.

Metrolink staff have been offered a new pay deal by operator KeolisAmey.

It comes after mayor Andy Burnham met with union representatives in a bid to avert the industrial action planned for this weekend.

The strikes were set to start on Saturday (June 10) while The Weekend performs at the Etihad Stadium, Roger Waters appears at the AO Arena and Parklife happens at Heaton Park.

The strikes were set to continue through to Sunday (June 11) as the two-day festival continues and Soccer Aid returns to Old Trafford. 

More than 95 pc of union members at Metrolink who took part in the ballot supported the strikes.

It comes after staff were offered a 5 per cent pay rise for a 15-month period. 

But trade union Unite, which represents more than 600 members of staff at Metrolink, described the offer as a ‘very significant real terms pay cut’.

Talks involving Mr Burnham have been taking place all week. 

An improved pay offer was made following the talks brokered by the Greater Manchester mayor.

The latest undisclosed offer will now be put to a vote by members.

Meanwhile, the strikes which were set to take place this weekend have been suspended.

Unite regional officer Colin Hayden said: “Unite made it clear from the outset that Metrolink was fully able to make an improved offer and as a result of the intervention of the mayor that has now occurred.

“Our members will now be balloted on the offer and they will decide if its meets their expectations.”

Metrolink workers who are members of Unite will now be balloted on the revised offer.

If it is rejected then new strike dates would be announced.

The Greater Manchester mayor offered to meet the union last week, but asked that, in return, the planned strike action is suspended.

However, at the time, Unite said the strikes would still go ahead as no new offer had been received.

Mr Burnham previously said that tram drivers have received above-inflation pay rises in recent years and said the 5 pc pay rise on offer was 'not bad'.

He explained that the Metrolink budget has been affected by a fall in passenger since the pandemic, but said that the city-region has not received cash from the government to cover the shortfall.

The creation of the Bee Network – a new London-style public transport system set to launch in September – is another issue affecting Transport for Greater Manchester’s finances, he said.

The new pay offer was made by KeolisAmey which is responsible for operating Metrolink services.

Welcoming the news that the strikes have been called off, Mr Burnham said: “Last week I made an offer to intervene and facilitate a dialogue between Metrolink operator KeolisAmey and representatives of Unite, in an effort to advance talks and avert industrial action this weekend.

“We’ve worked hard with colleagues at Transport for Greater Manchester to bring the two sides together, and I want to thank the teams at KeolisAmey and Unite for engaging positively and constructively in these talks.

“I’m very pleased that an agreement has now been reached to suspend strike action and put a new and improved offer on the table, keeping our tram network running on another really important weekend for the city-region.”

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