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Author Topic: Rail unions strike action 2022/2023/2024  (Read 81765 times)
TrainSpy
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« Reply #465 on: January 11, 2023, 11:12:33 »

I think this is quite interesting in the context of the evidence given by unions and industry to the Transport Select Committee. Rather than me comment on it, it may be worth a scan through for those interested.

www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/6cf2329d-75b9-49e8-a7e9-666ead62b39c

From an ASLEF» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) communication from the General Secretary to members:

Quote

Today, with Simon Weller, assistant general secretary, and Andy Hudd, EC vice-president, I met the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman, for an hour at Great Minster House. He told us he wanted to ‘facilitate’ a resolution to the pay dispute we have with 15 TOCs (Train Operating Company). This meeting had been in everyone’s diaries for some time and pre-dated the RDG(resolve)’s offer.
 
We told him that the ‘offer’ leaked to the press earlier last week was done in a way that was utterly reprehensible. After six and a half months waiting for a response to our reasonable request for an increase in pay for our members who have not had one since 2019, the RDG sent out an offer at the end of play on Friday and released elements to the press and media before we had even seen it.
 
They did not have the professional or personal courtesy to let us know it was coming, and ensured that we would not have time to properly consider it and respond.
 
We told the minister this morning – and Steve Montgomery and Andy Meadows, representing the RDG, who were also in the room – that if the government thinks it can negotiate with us via the pages of The Sun or the Daily Mail and make an offer that is really a sleight of hand then they are very much mistaken.
 
That offer will now be dealt with by the EC at its scheduled session on Monday 16 January.
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Bob_Blakey
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« Reply #466 on: January 11, 2023, 14:22:39 »

.....in the context of the evidence given by unions and industry to the Transport Select Committee. .....

Having watched this earlier today I am more confident that an agreement could be reached fairly quickly between the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)/TSSA» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) and NR» (Network Rail - home page)/RDG(resolve) but that won't provide a reliable train service if the attitude of ASLEF» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about)'s Mick Whelan was anything to go by - signallers on duty and stations open but most drivers still on strike would be as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Hopefully he just presented as a stroppy git for the benefit of the cameras!
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TrainSpy
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« Reply #467 on: January 11, 2023, 18:33:39 »

I agree - its pretty clear the unions are in different places! And its also pretty clear that the unsolicited offer on Friday wasn't really something Mick W wanted to deal with right now. Will have to see how it plays out
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ellendune
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« Reply #468 on: January 12, 2023, 07:47:18 »

I agree - its pretty clear the unions are in different places! And its also pretty clear that the unsolicited offer on Friday wasn't really something Mick W wanted to deal with right now. Will have to see how it plays out

In what sense was it unsolicited.  His complaint was that it was delivered without warning just before the meeting so they had no time to consider it.  That seems perfectly reasonable to me.  Also it was leaked to the press at the same time. Which is I agree not very professional. 
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TrainSpy
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« Reply #469 on: January 12, 2023, 11:50:42 »

I agree - its pretty clear the unions are in different places! And its also pretty clear that the unsolicited offer on Friday wasn't really something Mick W wanted to deal with right now. Will have to see how it plays out

In what sense was it unsolicited.  His complaint was that it was delivered without warning just before the meeting so they had no time to consider it.  That seems perfectly reasonable to me.  Also it was leaked to the press at the same time. Which is I agree not very professional. 

Just in the sense that it wasn't requested by ASLEF» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about). And awkward in the sense that he could no longer say that ASLEF had not received an offer - which means you then have to engage in the detail of what a deal might look like (even if what's in the offer is unacceptable)

"Without warning" is interesting given the evidence Steve Montgomery gave to MPs (Member of Parliament) yesterday about multiple discussions and attempts to arrange a meeting beforehand (which ASLEF hasn't denied).

If the document doing the rounds is actually the offer sent to ASLEF, the first paragraphs might give some insight into why they could have decided to do it as they did, beyond just a rather cheap PR (Public Relations) move.

"Due to the limited availability of Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Fireman (ASLEF) representatives over the last four months of 2022 we have not been able to make much progress in our discussions as we had envisaged on the key areas of workforce reforms. This has prevented us from being able to table a pay offer for 2022.

"In recognition of this situation, this Pay and Workforce Reform Principles Proposal document seeks to set out the employers’ position taking cognisance of the preliminary discussions at industry-wide level, in conjunction with a two-year pay offer. The intention is this will facilitate accelerating our discussions between our respective representatives of the passenger train operators (TOCs (Train Operating Company)) listed in Appendix 1 and ASLEF and a resolution to the current disputes that exist between TOCs and ASLEF. "


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grahame
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« Reply #470 on: January 16, 2023, 12:05:44 »

From the "On this day" at the top of our forum pages

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On this day - 16th Jan (1979) - Winter of discontent - 24 hour rail strike

https://libcom.org/article/1978-1979-winter-discontent
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_Discontent

Similarities?   Differences?   Anything to learn from what happened after that winter?

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grahame
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« Reply #471 on: January 17, 2023, 10:17:37 »

From The BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

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Train drivers to go on strike in February

Train drivers are to strike on 1 and 3 February after a pay offer was rejected by the union Aslef.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #472 on: January 17, 2023, 11:33:29 »

From Rail Advent

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Train drivers union, ASLEF» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about), 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» (South Western Railway - about) 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.’

It'll be interesting to see how TOCs (Train Operating Company) treat the special offer Advance tickets sold for these days (refund / move date free) and for the day after when services start up much later & bookings made on earlier trains.
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grahame
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« Reply #473 on: January 17, 2023, 17:09:59 »

Also from RailAdvent

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The RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) Union has announced that 14 train operators will be affected by strike action during February.

Strike action will take place on the 1st and 3rd February 2023, which are the same dates as those announced by ASLEF» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) earlier today.

The strike on the 1st February coincides with a TUC day of action where several other unions are also striking.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #474 on: January 17, 2023, 17:58:57 »

I', sure their members are scratching their heads - with very few trains running, disruption is already assured, so aren't thery giving up 2 days pay for extremely little extra effect? What a waste of two days pay - surely far more disruptive to strike on different days to create further disruption worth giving up pay for? Huh Huh
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grahame
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« Reply #475 on: January 18, 2023, 05:48:55 »

I', sure their members are scratching their heads - with very few trains running, disruption is already assured, so aren't thery giving up 2 days pay for extremely little extra effect? What a waste of two days pay - surely far more disruptive to strike on different days to create further disruption worth giving up pay for? Huh Huh

To some extent I am scratching my head too.   

I am noting that Wednesday 1st February is being styled as a national day of action with many other groups taking action and from a solidarity point of view, there is logic in the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) asking their members to withdraw their labour that day.  Having said which, with so many other groups not travelling to work either, does that lessen the effect of the strike that day by transport workers and are we looking at something that has some thin parallels to the extreme public holidays of 25th and 26th December?
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« Reply #476 on: January 18, 2023, 08:33:22 »

If you read the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) website, it's RMT train drivers that are striking at the same time as ASLEF» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about).  Currently a strike for 'other' grades has not been called.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #477 on: January 18, 2023, 09:43:47 »

Thanks, that makes more sense! Now why didn’t even the rail presd pick that up I wonder
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grahame
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« Reply #478 on: January 18, 2023, 16:11:29 »

From GWR (Great Western Railway) ...

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Dear Graham
 
You may have seen in the media, that ASLEF» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) (train drivers) will be taking strike action on Wednesday 1st February and Friday 3rd February.  RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) train drivers will also strike on the same days.
 
As this is train drivers, it is very likely that we will have no service whatsoever on the vast majority of our network on both dates.  We are hoping that we might be able to operate a limited service from Reading to Basingstoke, Reading to Oxford and London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. This is not yet confirmed. We will let you know as soon as we have details.
 
Our dedicated strike page at www.gwr.com/strike will be kept updated including information on refunds and when journey planners will be updated. We will also be issuing traditional media, social media, on board station announcements and posters to ensure customers are aware.
 
If you are able to share our updates from our Twitter account at www.twitter.com/gwrhelp or update your own networks in whatever way possible that would be greatly appreciated.
 
We will be in touch again once we have the train plan confirmed, and again thank you for all your help getting the information about the new dates out.
 
Best wishes
 
Jxxx
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« Reply #479 on: January 18, 2023, 17:19:24 »

Not really a surprise....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64317725

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