Tyne and Wear Metro engineering pay strikes to hit rail services

Stadler engineers for Metro trains strike after firm makes £119m but offers ‘pay cut’

More than 50 Tyne and Wear Metro engineers employed by Stadler Rail Service Ltd will strike in November over a four per cent pay offer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday).

With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 12.6 per cent and expected to rise, this is a real terms pay cut. The workers will strike from 14 November until 28 November, with more strikes set to be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved. The workers also began an overtime ban on 15 October.

The industrial action will impact services on the Metro, which is the UK’s busiest light rail system outside of London.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Stadler brings in huge profits but expects our members to take a pay cut during a cost of living crisis. The company can afford to pay a decent rise and that’s exactly what they should do. Stadlers’ Metro workforce will have Unite’s total backing as they strike for a fair deal.”

In October 2020, Stadler won the £300m contract to build 42 new Metro trains, rebuild the Gosforth depot and maintain the Nexus Tyne and Wear train stock for 35 years. The company reported profits of £119m in 2021 as well as record figures for order in take, order backlog and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT).

A one-off payment of £1,000 is also being offered to the workers but the union says that basic pay has to rise beyond what is on the table.

Unite regional coordinating officer Suzanne Reid said: “Any disruption to passengers is entirely the fault of Stadler, which can well afford to table a reasonable pay offer but is refusing to do so. The company must return to the negotiating table with an offer our members can accept.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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