Tram drivers in Birmingham and West Midlands win 13.5 per cent pay deal

Metro bosses and tram drivers in Birmingham and the West Midlands have avoided industrial action as a pay deal has been reached, union chiefs have announced.

Unite said it had secured a 13.5 per cent pay deal for West Midlands Metro’s tram drivers.The one-year pay deal will come into effect on April 1. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “For too long, West Midlands Metro tram drivers were paid too little for what they did.

"The well-deserved increase in their wages since 2022 is a direct result of the workers standing together in their union. As this latest pay deal shows, Unite’s total focus on defending and improving jobs, pay and conditions is winning for our members.”

Unite regional officer Sulinder Singh added: “Workers wanting better wages and working lives should join Unite and organise their colleagues to do the same. There is power in a union.”

Separate from the current pay deal, Unite West Midland Metro members took long-running strike action in 2022 that secured a 20.1 per cent pay increase for tram drivers with over a year’s service and a 13.7 per cent rise for those with less than a year’s service. It means that since June 2022, wages for time-served West Midlands tram drivers have increased by 33.6 per cent from £22,000 to £30,100.

Sophie Allison, West Midlands Metro managing director, said: “We’re pleased to have reached a fair and amicable agreement with the union that will see drivers with over a 12-month’s service earning more than £30,000 per year.

“This latest pay deal reflects the hard work and dedication of the Metro team as we all strive to build on the popularity of the Metro by further enhancing services while looking towards the future expansion of the network.”