Tram driver strikes postponed amid 'fatigue' talks

Greater Manchester tram driver strikes planned for this weekend have been postponed, a trade union has said.

About 320 drivers working for KeolisAmey Metrolink Ltd had planned to walk off the job from 5 to 7 December, amid concerns over "fatigue, a lack of proper rest breaks and rota patterns" which "put themselves and passengers in danger", Unite said.

Unite has confirmed the strikes have been postponed following negotiations with the company and Transport for Greater Manchester, with members to be balloted on whether or not to accept a new offer of improved rotas and shift patterns.

It said drivers could vote to proceed with strikes planned for the upcoming festive period.

Transport for Greater Manchester said it would do all it could to avoid disruption and was working to "explore the rosters" to come up with "practical solutions".

If they go ahead, the strikes on 19, 20 and 31 December are set to impact key sport and entertainment events across the city.

They would also impact travel to and from New Year's Eve events - including the St Peter's Square fireworks, which attract about 20,000 spectators a year.

Planned strikes on 19 and 20 December would coincide with industrial action by 200 Unite members working for Transport for Greater Manchester on the Bee bus network.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said driver fatigue was a "serious problem" and called on management to address staff concerns.

One driver said: "Fatigue isn't just tiredness, my colleagues are tired but the fatigue is also giving them cold-like symptoms and many have been going off sick with stress, which adds to problems with staffing levels.

"Drivers are saying it is not a question of 'if' an accident will occur, but 'when'.

"At the moment, we have the Christmas markets on in Manchester which means there's a lot more pedestrians around and we also drive alongside road traffic as well.

"You need to be constantly on the ball when driving a tram and being fatigued lessens the chance of being able to do that."

Another driver said: "I end up using my annual leave to try and create my own rest day pattern as the six in a row is just not good for me, meaning I don't get any long breaks away from work.

"This usually ends up with me feeling physically and mentally run down."

Transport for Greater Manchester chief network officer Danny Vaughan said: "This negotiation is about working patterns, not pay.

"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.

"We've been doing this constructively to try and avoid strikes and will continue to do so."

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