Train drivers union, ASLEF, has announced that it has rejected a new proposal from train operators and has announced new strike dates in February.
Strikes will now take place on the 1st and 3rd February 2023.
The strikes will affect Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; GTR Great Northern Thameslink; London North Eastern Railway; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Southern/Gatwick Express; South Western Railway (depot drivers only); SWR Island Line; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains.
The strikes are part of the ongoing dispute over pay and conditions, with 6 strike days already held.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, said: ‘The proposal is not and could not ever be acceptable but we are willing to engage in further discussions within the process that we previously agreed.’
‘It’s now clear to our members, and to the public, that this was never about reform or modernisation but an attempt to get hundreds of millions of pounds of productivity for a 20% pay cut while taking away any hope of the union having any say in the future. Irreparable harm has been done to the integrity of the negotiating process and the future ability to negotiate an appropriate way forward, but we make ourselves available anyway.
‘Not only is the offer a real-terms pay cut, with inflation running north of 10%, but it came with so many conditions attached that it was clearly unacceptable. They want to rip up our terms and conditions in return for a real-terms pay cut! It was clearly a rushed offer, made just before our meeting with the minister, and not one, it seems to me, that was designed to be accepted. Our members at these companies have not had an increase since 2019, despite soaring inflation, and it is time the companies – encouraged, perhaps, by the government – sat down with us and got serious.
‘That is the way – and the only way – to end this dispute.’
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, said: “It’s disappointing our fair and affordable offer, which would take average driver base salaries from £60,000 to nearly £65,000 by the end of 2023 pay awards, wasn’t put to the Aslef members. With taxpayers still funding up to an extra £175 million a month to make up the shortfall in revenue post-covid, it provided a significant salary uplift while bringing in long overdue, common-sense reforms that would mean more reliable services for passengers. Rather than announcing further unnecessary strikes, we ask Aslef to recognise the very real financial challenge the industry is facing and work with us to deliver a better railway with a strong long-term future.”
Responses
I’d not be surprised if the railway expired well before Mick Whelan’s retirement in three years.Tell you what, let all rail “worker” retire ASAP and spend money on NHS.
When a driver waves at an oncoming train instead of watching out for signals at danger it is a recipe for disaster. I think I should give up using the trains from now on
You clearly have absolutely no idea what you are talking about and have made yourself sound utterly stupid!
Keep going lads and lasses. Pay increases should always exceed inflation, just as costs do, and working conditions should always improve with time, not degrade. The world is supposed to get better and progress, not degrade and crumble.
Some one has to pay.In this case the taxpayers and potential rail passengers. As an aside, many of us would rather meet the pay demands of HNS staff, rather than micky taking railway strikers, represented by unions who consistently refuse to debate about changes sensible changes in working practices, which are solely needed for the public good.
Absolute joke! The entire country is on its knees! All that will happen by disrupting people getting to/from work, trains will be made redundant as more people go back to using their cars. Then they will moan due to redundancies!
Poor hard done to, poorly paid train drivers. The Conductors nearly settled blah, blah…It means that weeks and weeks go by and no proper, bookable, reliable train service.What is the point in having trains.Lost out again on my wife and I’s rail cards (as we did at Covid- least that was no one’s fault).Probably not worth booking for Easter.Maybe not worth it ever again.
You clearly have no idea of the responsibility that a train driver has…. Would you work for a 20% cut to your wages whilst enduring worse working conditions? Perhaps you should aim your anger to those in government causing this country to be on its knees… and not the workers !