ASLEF strikes W/c 6th May

[LowLevel]

Overtime ban 0001 Monday 6th-2359 Saturday 11th May

Strikes:

C2C, GA, GTR, SE, SWR, Island Line Tuesday 7th

Avanti, Chiltern, XC, EMR, GWR, WMT Wednesday 8th

LNER, Northern, TPE Thursday 9th

 

[Jamesrob637]

Here we go again, and no minimum SLA either I bet

 

[bengley]

Here we go again, and no minimum SLA either I bet

Good.

 

[rdevz]

I predict the results of the strike to be as follows:

• Drivers: Lose a day's pay which can be made up for via overtime with no net change to hours worked.
• Government: No reaction, aside from a bunch of hot air.
• Customers: Emiserated. Again.

I do wonder how many customers who would normally support the unions in their action are getting dangerously close to thinking "Reagan had the right idea when dealing with air traffic controller strikes".

 

[fishwomp]

I predict the results of the strike to be as follows:

• Drivers: Lose a day's pay which can be made up for via overtime with no net change to hours worked.

Isn't there also an overtime ban?

• Government: No reaction, aside from a bunch of hot air.

I think we're at the point now where the current government would get no value from resolving this dispute - 3% of voters think transport is in their top 3.

"Which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing the country at this time? Please tick up to three"



which also may show the likelihood of an incoming government saying "sure, here you go". Economy, health, immigration are the top 3, in the graph.

 

[Horizon22]

I think the (broader) impact of this is likely to be the same as all the other recent strikes over the past 12 months, which is fairly limited. I reckon it will keep rolling like this every month or so until the General Election, with little/no movement from either side.

Isn't there also an overtime ban?

I think we're at the point now where the current government would get no value from resolving this dispute - 3% of voters think transport is in their top 3.

"Which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing the country at this time? Please tick up to three"

View attachment 156868

which also may show the likelihood of an incoming government saying "sure, here you go". Economy, health, immigration are the top 3, in the graph.

Transport has never been high, when compared to the economy (which supports the former!), education or healthcare. It never will be.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Here we go again, and no minimum SLA either I bet

I don’t think we’ll ever see that minimum service levels happen.

 

[172007]

I predict the results of the strike to be as follows:

• Drivers: Lose a day's pay which can be made up for via overtime with no net change to hours worked.
• Government: No reaction, aside from a bunch of hot air.
• Customers: Emiserated. Again.

I do wonder how many customers who would normally support the unions in their action are getting dangerously close to thinking "Reagan had the right idea when dealing with air traffic controller strikes".

After reading about 3 aircraft crossing a runway in New York last week when a 4th had been cleared to take off and also was it Qatar Airwaya insisting that there aircraft be made at the Unionised Everrit plant as it was better quality work due to the unions I would reconsider the Reagon philosophy.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I do wonder how many customers who would normally support the unions in their action are getting dangerously close to thinking "Reagan had the right idea when dealing with air traffic controller strikes".

I am a passenger who relies on the railway to get about. One day earlier for the Avanti strike and I'd have been seriously messed up with holiday plans. But it's a dispute between employer and unions. It's got nothing to do with me and if the drivers want to withdraw their labour in pursuit of their aims, then so be it. It's a fundamental right to be able to strike and should not be undermined in any way.

 

[Thirteen]

No strikes on Monday and Fridays is an odd move but I guess the aftermath of the strike means they will be disruption anyway,

 

[43096]

I do wonder how many customers who would normally support the unions in their action are getting dangerously close to thinking "Reagan had the right idea when dealing with air traffic controller strikes".

This railway customer has long since considered that Reagan had the right idea. Likewise the BR Board back in 1982 when dealing with the rostering dispute.

 

[Smidster]

Well I am sure this is the strike that will do what the previous dozens and dozens haven't.

And will get even less attention than the previous - Didn't even know there was apparently ASOS action on Northern last week

 

[ChrisC]

Hopefully the overtime ban won’t cause too many problems for me travelling up to Aberdeen from Nottingham on Tuesday 7th May. I’m hoping that now there will not be any strikes the following week when I am due to travel back on Thursday 16th May. I had originally planned to make this trip at the end of May last year but had to cancel at the last minute due to a series of rail strikes.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Good.

How is it good that something can be promised but not delivered?

 

[footprints]

Folk who want to work from home will be delighted. The drivers will lose a day's pay. No one else will care less.

 

[ainsworth74]

How is it good that something can be promised but not delivered?

Welcome to the Tory Party in its death throws. You don't honestly believe them when they promise the various things they have over the last twelve/eighteen months do you? They're a party that has given up on governing and is desperately trying to cling onto power for as long as possible and will say whatever they think might get them a positive headline in a friendly media outlet and might earn them a handful of votes in what was once a safe seat.

Believing the chest thumping rhetoric from the Tory Party and their tame journalists about the MSL legislation was always unwise. Admittedly it's more toothless than even I anticipated but it's hardly surprising that it hasn't delivered what was promised.

 

[Horizon22]

No strikes on Monday and Fridays is an odd move but I guess the aftermath of the strike means they will be disruption anyway,

Bank Holiday weekend might have had something to do with that decision.

I’m hoping that now there will not be any strikes the following week when I am due to travel back on Thursday 16th May.

Will be too late for that. ASLEF normally have a month or two between each strike.

 

[Halwynd]

Whilst I very much agree with those who view this government with contempt, I also wonder whether the time has not come for ASLEF members to consider whether their long-term interests are best served by the strategy of its union leadership?

I'm not taking sides, I can see both sides of the argument. However, this government doesn't care less - it believes the railway has received considerable amounts of subsidy in recent years, that drivers are not poorly paid, and that the public are indifferent to all of this, and even if they weren't, it knows it isn't going to win the election anyway. Nothing is going to change that view - the only way I see this being resolved quickly is for all-out action. There is no guarantee that an incoming Labour government - which will want to be seen to be financially prudent in the face of other financial demands and a dire government balance sheet - will meet ASLEF demands, at least not in full.

This drip, drip effect is achieving nothing except antagonising passengers, and it comes with a greater risk of lasting damage to the passenger railway. Unless ASLEF change tactics there is an ever-increasing likelihood that, when this is all over, its members will look back and wonder whether they have actually gained more than they have lost.

 

[geoffk]

An incoming Labour government should be aiming to prioritise NHS pay and conditions, along with others including care workers, teachers and prison/probation officers - and we don't know where the money will come from for those, so train drivers will I'm afraid be some way down the list. At least my trips to and from London on 14th and 22nd May should now be OK so I can go ahead and book tickets, but that's a rather selfish POV which doesn't help those wanting to travel over the BH period!

 

[janb]

And will get even less attention than the previous - Didn't even know there was apparently ASOS action on Northern last week

Plenty of non driving staff didn't know either. For whatever reason both union and company kept it quiet.

 

[infobleep]

I predict the results of the strike to be as follows:

• Drivers: Lose a day's pay which can be made up for via overtime with no net change to hours worked.
• Government: No reaction, aside from a bunch of hot air.
• Customers: Emiserated. Again.

I do wonder how many customers who would normally support the unions in their action are getting dangerously close to thinking "Reagan had the right idea when dealing with air traffic controller strikes".

I wonder how many customers are thinking the next general election ballot can't come soon enough?

 

[Hellboydce]

labour get in, RDG disbanded and aslef are able to negotiate on a TOC by TOC basis

 

[dk1]

Unless ASLEF change tactics there is an ever-increasing likelihood that, when this is all over, its members will look back and wonder whether they have actually gained more than they have lost.

We all know what the score is and is why it’s an overwhelming vote each six months to continue the action. Infact another ballot paper was posted by myself only last week. No point regretting anything in life.

labour get in, RDG disbanded and aslef are able to negotiate on a TOC by TOC basis

Just as it should be. Here’s hoping.

 

[infobleep]

Whilst I very much agree with those who view this government with contempt, I also wonder whether the time has not come for ASLEF members to consider whether their long-term interests are best served by the strategy of its union leadership?

I'm not taking sides, I can see both sides of the argument. However, this government doesn't care less - it believes the railway has received considerable amounts of subsidy in recent years, that drivers are not poorly paid, and that the public are indifferent to all of this, and even if they weren't, it knows it isn't going to win the election anyway. Nothing is going to change that view - the only way I see this being resolved quickly is for all-out action. There is no guarantee that an incoming Labour government - which will want to be seen to be financially prudent in the face of other financial demands and a dire government balance sheet - will meet ASLEF demands, at least not in full.

This drip, drip effect is achieving nothing except antagonising passengers, and it comes with a greater risk of lasting damage to the passenger railway. Unless ASLEF change tactics there is an ever-increasing likelihood that, when this is all over, its members will look back and wonder whether they have actually gained more than they have lost.

Well if an incoming Labour government prioritises not imposing unfair terms and conditions, this will be resolved quickly and they can move on to other important issues.

At least my trips to and from London on 14th and 22nd May should now be OK so I can go ahead and book tickets, but that's a rather selfish POV which doesn't help those wanting to travel over the BH period!

Well the government are selfish.

 

[winks]

Tories face new pay clash with public sector workers before autumn election

Government expected to offer pay rises of around 4 per cent to 2.5 million workers in public sector

inews.co.uk

The Government faces a fresh pre-election clash with the unions over public sector pay as ministers are set to defy calls to restore wages back to their pre-pandemic levels.

The salaries of at least 2.5 million workers including nurses, teachers and civil servants will be set in the next three months.

Whitehall insiders expect the Government to offer an increase of around 4 per cent in most cases, i has been told. That would be higher than the current rate of consumer price inflation, which stands at 3.2 per cent and is generally expected to fall further.

 

[Ashfordian6]

This drip, drip effect is achieving nothing except antagonising passengers, and it comes with a greater risk of lasting damage to the passenger railway. Unless ASLEF change tactics there is an ever-increasing likelihood that, when this is all over, its members will look back and wonder whether they have actually gained more than they have lost.

From what I understand from a friend, and what has been reported a number of time by those actually striking, they will just work a days overtime (outside of the overtime ban period) and earn more money for doing the same work. My mate definitely does not think he is losing, and he pretty much gets to choose which day he works as overtime.

Meanwhile, the Government is happy to continue its scorched earth policy and allow the taxpayer to underwrite the TOC's (they still get paid) and ignore any lost tax revenue lost to wider economy. All so they can play their political game which is in effect trying to buy votes for an election they are going to lose in the 6-8 months time .

 

[scouseyb123]

From what I understand from a friend, and what has been reported a number of time by those actually striking, they will just work a days overtime (outside of the overtime ban period) and earn more money for doing the same work.

Meanwhile, the Government is happy to continue its scorched earth policy and allow the taxpayer to underwrite the TOC's (they still get paid) and ignore any lost tax revenue lost to wider economy. All so they can play their political game which is in effect trying to buy votes for an election they are going to lose in the 6-8 months time .

That is the only reason the government keep this going from their end as it may help them claw 1%-2% back in the polls and votes come a GE as they’ll be able to convince the gullible ones of their anti-train driver arguments. That is how these people think, they dont care about the economy and what’s in the national interest but in the survival of their own party and their own job. So if it means trying to link Aslef, train drivers and the strikes to something involving the Labour Party then that is what they’ll do.

 

[Sam 76]

Feel so sorry for the drivers here. Shamefully the government are letting them down. Got a trip at the end of May on the Bank Holiday weekend very much doubt this will now go ahead as surely they will strike again that weekend

Bank Holiday weekend might have had something to do with that decision.



Will be too late for that. ASLEF normally have a month or two between each strike.

Next ones surely will be the May Bank Holiday weekend. They would be mad not too

 

[Hellboydce]

Feel so sorry for the drivers here. Shamefully the government at letting them down. Got a trip at the end of May on the Bank Holiday weekend very much doubt this will now go ahead as surely they will strike again that weekend


Next ones surely will be the May Bank Holiday weekend. They would be mad not too

The dates mentioned are the strike dates, no strikes on the bank holidays, just the usual disruption of engineering works taking place

 

[baz962]

I predict the results of the strike to be as follows:

• Drivers: Lose a day's pay which can be made up for via overtime with no net change to hours worked.
• Government: No reaction, aside from a bunch of hot air.
• Customers: Emiserated. Again.

I do wonder how many customers who would normally support the unions in their action are getting dangerously close to thinking "Reagan had the right idea when dealing with air traffic controller strikes".

Well they might think Reagan was right, but it massively backfired on him. Took many years to get up to speed , over ten I believe and most of the fired air traffic controllers were re hired.