Richard Gingell, Black Country Socialist Party
In the West Midlands, joining the fight against the rising cost of living, are the drivers, conductors and other tram-service workers at West Midlands Metro Limited (MML), members of Unite the Union.
These workers facilitate over a million journeys a year, providing vital connectivity between Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
Their reward for this? £22,000 a year – just a smidgen over minimum wage, making them some of the lowest-paid workers in the industry. It’s no surprise then, that after 23 years of operation, the workers at MML have finally had enough.
In the face of increasing bills, and a constant churn of staff unable to make a basic living from these wages, the workers of MML are out in force, with over 50 total days of strike action planned between now and early January.
They demand an increase to £27,000, to bring them up to par with similar workers elsewhere in the country.
Over the first seven days of strikes, workers picketed the depot near Wednesbury town centre.
As senior grades have driven trams out on the scab service that management have implemented, they’ve been greeted with the sound of sirens and bullhorns that have been audible from a mile in each direction!
While a fair wage would be a good start, conditions also need improving.
Early starts and late finishes eat into rest days, throwing off a much-needed work/life balance. Management are quick to point out that there is a payment for this – however it’s a paltry one, built into that £22,000 figure, and the only thing keeping them from the rock-bottom of the minimum wage.
MML’s solutions to its problems have been simple: hire an excess of managers, steal back their budgets from the pockets of their staff, and work those staff to breaking point. Unfortunately for them, the workers at MML are united and are fighting back.
It’s time the company started listening to its workers, as soon it’ll have no choice.
