UNISON and Unite, the unions at Transport for Greater Manchester, are both balloting members on industrial action in a dispute over the April 2025 pay claim. Details of the claim and much more can be found on stopthedrop.uk.
Ballot papers are being posted out to Unite members on 10 September 2025 and to UNISON members on 11 September 2025. If you are a member, please vote as soon as you receive your ballot papers in the post. If you aren’t yet a member, it’s not too late to join, let your reps know you’ve joined, and get a vote.
TfGM is part of the Passenger Transport Forum (PTF), along with the West Midlands and West Yorkshire Combined Authorities. Through the PTF they made an offer on 6 June. The unions consulted members on the offer, which was rejected by 78.9% on 1 July. 71.2% said they were prepared to take industrial action in pursuit of an improved offer. Though there have been meetings since, the PTF employers have not yet improved the offer.
The employers proposed to increase all pay points by just 3.2% despite the fact that prices (RPI) went up 4.5% in the year to April and average regular earnings went up 5.1% across the whole economy and 5.8% across the public sector. This comes in a context where TfGM pay has fallen seriously behind the rising cost of living for years. We need to Stop the Drop and start to catch up, not fall even further behind. Last year’s campaign was a start for those on bands 2-6, but nobody on any band deserves another real-terms pay cut this year.
The pay claim included more than just basic pay and the PTF employers have been resistant to offering anything on the other elements of the claim, or even committing to local negotiations. Your reps have met with TfGM senior management informally to try to move some of those issues along, but progress has been very limited and is not reflected in an improved offer.
| Members wanted | Employers offered |
| A pay increase of 5% + RPI (4.5% in the year to April 2025) | 3.2% on all pay points |
| Introduction of a 4-day working week by reducing hours with no loss of pay | Rejected |
| An increase in all allowances to include where applicable first aid, fire marshals, relocation, standby, callout, Market Factor Supplements, travel, accommodation and subsistence. In future, allowances to be index-linked to an agreed pay point for each employer. | The employers insist that this must be “discussed” locally. TfGM propose to increase standby payments by 3.2%, to benchmark fire marshal allowances, and to review the expenses policy and Market Factor Supplements. |
| The 3 employers should not be using scale points below £15 per hour. | The employers insist that this must be “discussed” locally. TfGM have made no commitment on removing scale points but promised to review banding again for those on less than £15 an hour “in total” (i.e. taking into account shift allowances). |
| A free bus and tram pass for all staff, including their spouse/partner and children | The employers insist that this must be “discussed” locally. TfGM and WYCA rejected this. WMCA say this will be discussed and agreed locally. |
| A salary sacrifice scheme for staff to buy electric vehicles | The employers insist that this must be “discussed” locally. TfGM plan to introduce this from early 2026. WYCA are discussing it locally. WMCA did this from 1 July 2025. |
| Implement 2024 commitments on equal pay gaps | The employers insist that this must be “discussed” locally. TfGM intend to implement a new interim system for employees to record our protected characteristics, which could be followed by a communication campaign to increase data completeness. |
TfGM senior management are pleading poverty when it comes to your pay and conditions. But why should vital services be funded out of the pockets of staff and our families when eyewatering wealth goes largely untaxed and the government can afford to increase spending in other areas such arms?
Unite members at Stagecoach, Metroline and First Bus in Greater Manchester are intending to strike after rejecting offers ranging from 3.5% to 6%. These private bus operators get their funding from TfGM so why are we being offered even less?
TfGM senior management are also making ludicrous claims about the cost of a shorter working week, ignoring all the evidence about the improved productivity and savings that offset the costs.
The employers’ reluctance to settle doesn’t really seem to be about money. They are reluctant to genuinely negotiate, preferring to copy what local authority employers offer for basic pay and to refuse to negotiate at all on other terms and conditions. For example, there can be no financial justification for continuing to use pay points below £15 an hour – the cost of removing them would be trivial, especially when compared to the over £1.5m TfGM spent last year on six executive board members.
Your reps don’t believe that the employers will improve their offer without a vote for industrial action. The bigger the YES vote and the bigger the turnout, the more pressure on the employers to listen.
If you have questions about the ballot or the campaign, the unions have prepared FAQs, or you can contact one of your reps.
So in summary, if you are a union member, vote YES in the ballot and post off your ballot paper as soon as you receive it. If you aren’t yet a member, there’s still time to join, let your reps know and have a vote. The more of us who take part, the stronger the message and the sooner we can secure a decent pay deal.