Manchester is facing a summer of standstill as workers on the city’s tram system, Metrolink, are to strike following a woeful pay offer.

Over 600 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, are angry after Metrolink was only prepared to make a pay offer of a 4.5 per cent increase in 2024 despite years of below-inflation pay increases. Unite members want guarantees of above-inflation rises over the next three years due to accepting less than inflation (RPI) last year and a reduction in the pay progression scales within the drivers and customer service roles.

Drivers, engineers, business support and customer service staff will be taking strike action from 25-27 July. Staff are also furious at the pay structure that requires drivers to wait four years to get to the top of their pay scales and as a result losing up to £15,000 despite doing the exact same job as colleagues.

Strikes will see Manchester grind to a halt and affect visitors to Peter Kay’s show at Co-Op Live, UFC 304 and Manchester’s City Centre Day. Nearly 200,000 visitors are expected in Manchester over the three-day strike period.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 

“It’s reprehensible how companies worth billions like Keolis and Amey can value their workers so poorly while lining the pockets of their shareholders. This is intolerable and our members will not accept it.

“Unite’s commitment to protecting the jobs, pay and conditions of its members is absolute and our Metrolink workers will have the union’s total support throughout this dispute.”