320 tram drivers working for KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited have voted for strike action over the Christmas period
The drivers, members of Unite, work at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in the city and operate trams on all routes in Greater Manchester.
This dispute centres around fatigue. Currently, the drivers’ shift patterns mean they work 450 hours over a 12-week period. This results in some drivers working 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.
They also have fewer rest days compared to colleagues in other operational departments such as engineering and customer support, meaning drivers have suffered from fatigue due to not having adequate breaks and are concerned about operating heavy passenger vehicles while exhausted.
Unite has repeatedly raised the issue with management but has been told there is no funding available for improvements to working patterns.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Driver fatigue is a major safety issue for both our members and passengers, but Metrolink management is not taking this seriously.
“Metrolink is guilty of not acting on our member’s concerns. It can’t ignore this issue any longer. Our members will have Unite’s full support throughout this strike.”
