Wigan passengers reassured buses will keep running when staff go on strike

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has made revised pay offers for its staff, as it aims to reach an agreement with unions and avoid strike action.

Unison and Unite unions are planning to start industrial action on Thursday.

It does not include bus or tram drivers, but staff in office-based roles and at interchanges, information and ticket offices, and the customer contact centre.

Services will run as normal and transport interchanges will remain open.

But passengers are warned some supporting facilities may be reduced, including:

• Customers may be unable to buy some tickets, though they can still be bought on board, at machines and pay via contactless.
• Some interchange facilities, such as toilets, may be closed.
• There will be fewer staff to help passengers and provide information.
• Bookings, responding to inquiries, processing concession applications or updating channels (such as the Bee Network website and social media) may take longer than normal.

TfGM says its offer would see anyone paid below £27,800 (around 17 per cent of staff) get an average increase of between 8.2 per cent and 9.5 per cent.

Those earning between £27,800 and £51,000 would see an average rise of between 6.8 per cent and 3.1 per cent. Anyone earning more would receive 2.5 per cent.

Managing director Steve Warrener said: “The planned strikes do not affect drivers or any other bus or Metrolink staff. We’re reassuring passengers that their buses and trams will still run and we’ll keep Greater Manchester moving.

“Whilst there will naturally be some changes for passengers – including limited access to toilets and fewer people to provide information on strike days – we’ll be doing all we can to ensure such inconveniences are minimised.

“We’re still talking to union representatives and our focus is on reaching agreement and avoiding any industrial action, which could still be called off should they choose.

“We recognise the need to support our hard-working colleagues facing cost-of-living pressures. But we also need to balance this with the challenging financial situation in the public sector. We feel it’s right we focus our attention on giving the biggest rises to those who are paid the least, that’s how we’ve structured of pay offers to the unions which have to date been rejected.”