Warning that Goose Fair might not be only major event hit by tram strikes
More city events could be impacted by tram strike action as tram bosses have said GMB's threats are "incredibly disappointing". This comes as trade union GMB has urged Nottingham Express Transit (NET), which runs Nottingham's trams, to "urgently do the right thing".
Members of the union, which make up at least 90 per cent of the tram workforce, will strike over a 10 per cent pay rise between Friday, September 27, and Sunday, October 6 if a satisfactory deal is not reached, GMB says. The strike action period overlaps with Goose Fair, which is visited by around 500,000 people.
The further calls come as the tram operator has "refused to budge" on the 3.5 per cent pay offer. If no agreement is reached, around 300 workers are expected to join strike action across the network’s drivers, ticket office staff, customer services and maintenance teams.
But it now seems that Goose Fair might not be the only major event that could be affected by tram disruption, with travel to the Robin Hood Half Marathon, a Nottingham Panthers match, and Nottingham Forest home games all threatened. Colin Whyatt, GMB Regional Organiser, said: "We’re calling on Nottingham Tram bosses to urgently do the right thing.
"Our door is always open, but so far we appear to be the only side committed to resolving this dispute. Talks have been one sided, with GMB already proposing two alternative routes forwards.
"Our members want nothing less than strike action on a bumper weekend of events. With the Goose Fair, Nottingham Marathon, a Panthers match and Forest home games all on the horizon, it’s time for company bosses to do the right thing by the people of Nottingham and pay these workers what they’re worth."
However, Sarah Turner, service delivery and safety director at Nottingham Trams Limited (NTL), says the union's decision to "deliberately and pointedly" target the much-loved family event is "incredibly disappointing".
Ms Turner also pointed out that the calls for action are "disheartening" as they were made during a collective bargaining agreement period. She said: "We remain in ongoing discussions and negotiations with GMB and we’re working hard to come to a resolution.
"It’s incredibly disappointing that GMB continues to deliberately and pointedly target a much-loved family event, with threats of targeting Nottingham Marathon, a Panthers match and Forest home games too. We’ve tried to work with GMB leaders to call for a pause to strike action while talks are still ongoing, to limit the disruption felt by the people of Nottingham, but they have unfortunately refused.
"It’s also especially disheartening to see GMB make such a decision during a period when a collective bargaining agreement was in place. This states that GMB cannot invoke industrial action, nor NTL impose a settlement until such time as the arbitration or mediation process is exhausted."
Ms Turner explained that the agreement was put in place to avoid the damaging effects of the strike action. "However, GMB have bypassed this, refusing to pause strike action, leading to a direct breach of the agreement.
"This shows that GMB is reverting straight to industrial action as a first step, rather than exhausting the procedure," she said. The company added that it reviews its salaries regularly and has awarded pay increases totalling 20 per cent since 2020.
The current deal includes a pay increase of 3.5 per cent for this year, which is a level above June inflation figures, as well as the certainty of a further above-inflation pay increase in 2025. A 10 per cent pay increase is "simply untenable", Ms Turner has said, "and will only serve to put the survival of Nottingham’s tram network at risk – a network which thousands rely on every day.
"We remain in open discussions with GMB in the hopes that we can avoid a situation that will ultimately cause distress and upset for the people of Nottingham." GMB threatened similar strike action for similar dates in 2023, but called it off at the 11th hour after an agreement was made.
This year, GMB says 90 per cent of the workforce voted in favour of the industrial action.