Industrial action has been called off at the 11th hour in previous years
NET strikes have been timed to coincide with the annual Goose Fair, which gets under way on Friday (September 26)(Image: Joseph Raynor/Reach PLC)
Around 200 members of staff at Nottingham’s tram network are still set to strike on the weekends of Goose Fair, the Nottingham Post understands.
Whilst industrial action has been called off at the 11th hour in previous years, it is understood NET staff are still planning to walk out in an ongoing dispute over pay.
On the weekends which fall during the event – Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27 and Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3 – there will be no tram service across the city due to the strikes.
Two days before the annual fair gets under way on Friday (September 26), NET said it remained open to further talks with the GMB Union in a bid to prevent the strikes going ahead.
Whilst negotiations over pay have taken place since and are still ongoing, it is understood both parties have not yet come to an agreement.
This could still happen, however, with a 10-day strike in 2023 called off after an agreement was reached just before the start of Goose Fair. A planned strike the year after ended up lasting just one day following negotiations.
The GMB in the previous two years has accepted above-inflation pay rises of 4.5% and 5.3%, respectively.
On this year’s looming strikes, the union’s regional organiser Colin Whyatt previously said: “GMB members have been left with few options, as Nottingham’s tram bosses point blank refused to listen to their own workforce.
“Goose Fair is peak time for our tram network, with tens of thousands set to descend on Nottingham for the weeklong celebration. Our door is always open, but tram bosses are fast running out of track to get this fixed.”
Initial strike action will begin at 5am on September 26 and last until 5am on September 28, then resume at 5am on October 2 until 5am on October 4 – during which period there will be no tram service.
Workers will also refuse any overtime from 5am on September 28 until 5am on October 2. On these days, trams will be running to all stops but may be delayed.
Sarah Turner, the managing director of NET, said: “Following GMB’s decision to strike and target the popular Goose Fair event, it has meant that we’ll sadly not be able to run any tram service for four days while strike action takes place.
“This is an incredibly disappointing outcome, and we know many tram users will share our disappointment.
“We’re always committed to doing all we can to keep the city moving, even during strike action. However, due to staff numbers, it’s safer to have no service than to run a service with limited staff, which means we’ve had to make the difficult decision to not run a service during strike days.”
The current discussions over pay have lasted nine months, with the tram operator initially offering a 3.3 per cent pay increase alongside a 7 per cent increase for the lowest-paid workers.
However, the GMB rejected this and called for a higher increase of 4.1 per cent, with NET putting forward a final offer on June 19.
Nottingham City Council has pledged it will “keep the city running” during one of the days of strike action – Sunday, September 27 – which will coincide with the Robin Hood Half Marathon.
