Drivers are also set to walk-out this coming weekend
09:44, 02 Dec 2025Updated 10:49, 02 Dec 2025
More tram strikes have been announced in December(Image: Jake Lindley / Manchester Evening News)
Three new strikes have been announced by Metrolink tram drivers with passengers set to face more disruption in December.
Tram drivers are set to walk-out over this coming weekend, from Friday, December 5 to Sunday, December 6, in a dispute that ‘centres around fatigue’, the Unite union said. The strike will affect passengers heading to the busy Christmas markets in Manchester, as well a number of large concerts including Ed Sheeran at the Co-op Live.
Today (December 2), the union has announced three more strike days in December. These will be December 19, 20 and December 31 – on New Year’s Eve. The new driver walk-outs are set to cause disruption on the Metrolink as passengers travel to and from New Year’s plans, as well as to the St Peter’s Square fireworks event.
Other events affected by the strikes include the Manchester City v West Ham game at the Etihad and the Doves and Jools Holland concerts. The strike dates on 19 and 20 December also coincide with a walk-out of 200 Unite members on the Bee Network buses in Greater Manchester.
Unite said 320 tram drivers will take part in the industrial action in December. “The dispute is over driver fatigue and fears that their shift patterns and lack of rest breaks is putting them and passengers at risk”, the union said.
“Unite has repeatedly raised issues with management but has been told there is no funding available for improvements to working patterns.” Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Driver fatigue is a serious problem.
Further Metrolink strikes have been announced(Image: Jake Lindley / Manchester Evening News)
“Our members are raising serious concerns about their and their passengers’ safety Metrolink management is burying its head in the sand. Management must sort this problem out once and for all. It can’t try to fob drivers off by putting profits before safety.”
The union said that drivers’ current shift patterns mean they work 450 hours over a 12-week period. It results in some drivers working 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.
Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Officer at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “This negotiation is about working patterns, not pay. Since we were informed of the outcome of the tram drivers’ ballot, we’ve been working directly with drivers, Unite and the operator Keolis Amey Metrolink to explore the rosters in detail and come up with practical solutions that address the union’s concerns.
“We’ve been doing this constructively to try and avoid strikes and will continue to do so.”