Following nine months of pay discussions and negotiations between trade union GMB and Nottingham Express Transit (NET), NET has confirmed that tram workers will be taking strike action during this year’s Goose Fair.
Pay discussions between NET and GMB have been ongoing since January, with NET putting forward its final improved pay offer on 19 June 2026, which offered a 3.3% pay increase and a 7% increase for the lowest-paid roles, with further improvements for night workers. This was rejected, with GMB calling for a 4.1% pay increase.
Strike action will coincide with Nottingham’s annual Goose Fair, due to take place later this month.
Around 200 workers are expected to join strike action, across the network’s drivers, ticket office staff and maintenance teams.
88% of workers across the network backed strike action, with strike dates set to start from Saturday 26 October 2026.
Colin Whyatt, GMB Regional Organiser, said:
“GMB members have been left with few options, as Nottingham’s tram bosses point blank refused to listen to their own workforce
“Goose Fair is peak time for our tram network, with tens of thousands set to descend on Nottingham for the weeklong celebration.
“Our door is always open, but tram bosses are fast running out of track to get this fixed”.
As a result, tram workers will take part in a six-day strike, split across two weeks.
This will begin at 05:00 on Saturday 26 September 2026 and continue until 04:59 on Monday 28 September 2026, before resuming at 05:00 on Friday 2 October 2026 and concluding at 04:59 on Sunday 4 October 2026.
In addition to this, between periods of full strike action, tram workers will not work any overtime from 05:00 on Monday 28 September 2026 through to 04:59 on Friday 2 October 2026, to put further pressure on NET and cause additional disruption to operations.
The news comes two years after GMB accepted a two-year pay deal in 2024, which saw NET workers receive a well-above-inflation 4.5% pay increase and a further above-inflation pay increase in 2025 of up to 5.3%.
Commenting on the news, Sarah Turner, managing director of NET, said:
“After spending many months in discussions with GMB, it’s incredibly disappointing that the decision has been made to go ahead with strike action that will bring the whole city to a standstill and targets a popular annual event that’s really important for Nottingham. Each year, Goose Fair sees thousands of visitors flock to the Forest Recreation Ground to enjoy what is, for many, one of the highlights of the year.
“The news will have a massive impact on the upcoming event and the wider city, as it will mean we will not be able to run a tram service that takes Goose Fair visitors directly to the event. This could put attendee safety at risk by putting an incredible amount of additional pressure on bus services and transport routes, resulting in overcrowding, bottlenecks, additional traffic and more.
“We understand the ongoing financial pressures and rising living costs many people across the nation are facing, which is why we regularly review our salaries, offering pay rises across the board. In fact, over the past six years, we have increased pay by a total of 29.8%, an increase that proudly puts our staff pay levels well above the national average. However, the pay increase GMB is calling for is financially untenable and way above current inflation levels.”
Sarah added: “Like many transport operators across the country, we’re still experiencing the effects of a challenging economic climate. However, we’re committed to doing all we can to ensure Nottingham’s tram network continues to be a reliable and convenient mode of transport the city can be proud of. The upcoming strike action will not only pose challenges for our wider operations, but it will also put a vital part of the city’s infrastructure at risk.
“Following GMB’s decision to go ahead with strike action, we remain open to further talks, and we hope we can come to a resolution soon, so we can continue to keep the trams moving for the many passengers who rely on the tram for work, leisure, study and more.”
During the strike period, NET will be running a temporary timetable and altered service, with further details set to be revealed over the coming days.
