Union calls off Metro strike action after accepted pay deal
Written by Adam Foster on 17th November 2023
Industrial action which had been threatened by the Unite Union on the Tyne and Wear Metro has been called off after engineers accepted the latest pay deal.
The strikes, which were due to start on November 20 for a week, were cancelled by Unite after Stadler, who employ the Metros engineers, had increased their pay offer to 7%.
This offer was put forward in a ballot by Unite and was duly accepted, ending months of dispute and uncertainty for commuters over the Metro as Christmas draws nearer.
Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary, said: “By standing together in solidarity and being prepared to take industrial action our members have secured a pay increase which met their expectation.”
The strikes would have brought the Metro service to a standstill, causing further disruption to North East public transport as Go North East buses are still on strike.
Unite regional officer Craig Cuggy added: “This is a great win for Unite and our members who have got a fair pay rise for the highly skilled and safety-critical work they perform.”
A new fleet of Metro trains, provided by Stadler, is due to be rolled out by 2025. The company took over the Gosforth Depot in October 2020, as part of the deal, with Stadler also having the maintenance contract.
A spokesperson for Stadler said: “We are pleased that Unite members have voted to accept our improved pay offer. This will allow us all to focus on introducing the new fleet of trains, which will transform the Tyne and Wear Metro for the benefit of passengers.”
