Rail unions industrial and strike action 2024

[whole diary]

[grahame]

And from The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr402kn0g1zo on newspapers

A number of Thursday's front pages lead with the breakthrough in the long-running train driver pay dispute. The Daily Mail writes that the offer of a 15% pay increase, over three years, could end "crippling" industrial action. The pay rise, that will see the average train driver salary for a four-day-week increase from £60,000 to £69,000, will cost the Treasury an estimated £100 million, fuelling concerns that ticket prices could now rise higher than they otherwise would have as a result, the paper writes.

There are corollay questions - who's gonna pay for it, will it attract enough staff so that we're not constantly short of train crew (  ), will it help rebalance staff availability (3 x cancellations at weekends compared to weekdays locally), will it result in service reduction to get seat (over)occupancy up to balance the books better, and will other vital (rail) workers go for similar action to get the same level of deal?   I am sure that these issues will have been thought through - so I am not quite as concerned as my listing them may suggest.

[a-driver]

Out of interest, what exactly were drivers being asked to sacrifice under the previous proposal?

Conditions, a lot of which which vague and as such could be wide open to interpretation

The contractual commitment to working Sundays, which would be enforced overtime but wouldn’t be paid at overtime rate.  You can’t currently book leave for Sundays so there’s no way you could get out of working.  That causes issues with annual leave which runs Monday to Saturday

They wanted the ability to move drivers between depots. That could mean a Swansea driver being told they need to make their own way to Paddington, in their own car, own time, at their own time to cover a job.  The required hours between shifts starts when you book off.  So in the instance with the Swansea driver, booking off at Paddington the 12 hour clock starts but they still have a 4 hour drive home.  8 hours rest by the the time they get home with the possibility of driving to another depot again for the next shift.

Annual leave.  They wanted the ability to cancel booked annual leave days before a driver was due to take their leave if they were short staffed.  The same with rostered days off, you could be forced to work our rest day.  That removes the individuals ability to have a holiday or book tickets for events, family days out etc.  

Again, this may not have happened but then, there’s nothing to say it couldn’t.  Once you agree to a vague set of demands which are open to interpretation it could become very difficult to actually nail down the finer details.  

Training.  Cut all that back to help cover shortages.  A drivers thorough knowledge of their routes is what keeps everyone safe. From memory alone, a driver will know every inch of a route.  The name of every foot crossing, road crossing, farm crossing, bridge, viaduct, tunnel, junction on their route.  Every speed change, junction speed, the location of every signal, the routes you can and can not take from a signal to the point a route could be driven blind, and we do drive blind in thick fog and at night, and we do that by noise and movement of the train.  
They’ll know every station, the braking point for the each station, shunt moves, low adhesion zones.
Add to that they’ll know, again from memory, the ins and outs of all traction they drive.  That’s the air system, suspension, braking, transmission, engine, electrical.  
Then there’s all the rules and procedures surrounding degraded working when it comes to faults and failures with traction and infrastructure.
You attempt to shorten the training and you would certain elements above.  None of us wants someone like that driving a train at 125mph behind us.  On a bad, all of the above comes heavily into play, if you’re missing those elements that’s when serious incidents happen.  That’s why you don’t mess with training that’s proven to work

The majority think yesterday’s offer is great, mainly because it’s got no strings attached and it brings an end to the uncertainty of industrial action.  There will be a minority who will say this is still well below the rate of inflation and should be rejected.  To have kept inline with inflation, you’d have needed a rise of around 25%.  The majority knows this was never going to happen!

[a-driver]

A number of Thursday's front pages lead with the breakthrough in the long-running train driver pay dispute. The Daily Mail writes that the offer of a 15% pay increase, over three years, could end "crippling" industrial action. The pay rise, that will see the average train driver salary for a four-day-week increase from £60,000 to £69,000, will cost the Treasury an estimated £100 million, fuelling concerns that ticket prices could now rise higher than they otherwise would have as a result, the paper writes.

There are corollay questions - who's gonna pay for it, will it attract enough staff so that we're not constantly short of train crew (  ), will it help rebalance staff availability (3 x cancellations at weekends compared to weekdays locally), will it result in service reduction to get seat (over)occupancy up to balance the books better, and will other vital (rail) workers go for similar action to get the same level of deal?   I am sure that these issues will have been thought through - so I am not quite as concerned as my listing them may suggest.

The large amount of back pay owed MAY result in fewer drivers working rest days & Sundays.  Plus a lot of drivers “senior” drivers will now be considering retirement.  The pay rises obviously make a significant difference to a final salary pension. 

Edited to clarify quoting - Grahame

[TaplowGreen]

Out of interest, what exactly were drivers being asked to sacrifice under the previous proposal?

Conditions, a lot of which which vague and as such could be wide open to interpretation

The contractual commitment to working Sundays, which would be enforced overtime but wouldn’t be paid at overtime rate.  You can’t currently book leave for Sundays so there’s no way you could get out of working.  That causes issues with annual leave which runs Monday to Saturday

They wanted the ability to move drivers between depots. That could mean a Swansea driver being told they need to make their own way to Paddington, in their own car, own time, at their own time to cover a job.  The required hours between shifts starts when you book off.  So in the instance with the Swansea driver, booking off at Paddington the 12 hour clock starts but they still have a 4 hour drive home.  8 hours rest by the the time they get home with the possibility of driving to another depot again for the next shift.

Annual leave.  They wanted the ability to cancel booked annual leave days before a driver was due to take their leave if they were short staffed.  The same with rostered days off, you could be forced to work our rest day.  That removes the individuals ability to have a holiday or book tickets for events, family days out etc.  

Again, this may not have happened but then, there’s nothing to say it couldn’t.  Once you agree to a vague set of demands which are open to interpretation it could become very difficult to actually nail down the finer details.  

Training.  Cut all that back to help cover shortages.  A drivers thorough knowledge of their routes is what keeps everyone safe. From memory alone, a driver will know every inch of a route.  The name of every foot crossing, road crossing, farm crossing, bridge, viaduct, tunnel, junction on their route.  Every speed change, junction speed, the location of every signal, the routes you can and can not take from a signal to the point a route could be driven blind, and we do drive blind in thick fog and at night, and we do that by noise and movement of the train.  
They’ll know every station, the braking point for the each station, shunt moves, low adhesion zones.
Add to that they’ll know, again from memory, the ins and outs of all traction they drive.  That’s the air system, suspension, braking, transmission, engine, electrical.  
Then there’s all the rules and procedures surrounding degraded working when it comes to faults and failures with traction and infrastructure.
You attempt to shorten the training and you would certain elements above.  None of us wants someone like that driving a train at 125mph behind us.  On a bad, all of the above comes heavily into play, if you’re missing those elements that’s when serious incidents happen.  That’s why you don’t mess with training that’s proven to work

The majority think yesterday’s offer is great, mainly because it’s got no strings attached and it brings an end to the uncertainty of industrial action.  There will be a minority who will say this is still well below the rate of inflation and should be rejected.  To have kept inline with inflation, you’d have needed a rise of around 25%.  The majority knows this was never going to happen!

Thankyou for that detailed reply - certainly seems like a good outcome for train drivers.

[IndustryInsider]

It’s a decent deal in line with average wage growth in other sectors over the past few years.

Well done to Labour for getting it sorted so quickly and highlighting the totally inept approach from the Tories.

[TaplowGreen]

It’s a decent deal in line with average wage growth in other sectors over the past few years.

Well done to Labour for getting it sorted so quickly and highlighting the totally inept approach from the Tories.

I think as with most of these scenarios, reality is somewhat more nuanced and sits somewhere between the two.......there's little doubt the previous Government's approach was intransigent and was not going to succeed in resolving the dispute but given the relatively minor impact of the action the Unions took, and its low profile, they probably felt they could get away with it dragging on.

Labour have now effectively caved in and handed over the money for nothing in return.....easy to get it sorted if you're prepared to do that......they have little leverage now in terms of getting through the reforms and changes to working practices that are desperately needed,  and the Unions have no need to consider them...... at least not until someone is brave enough to raise the subject again!

So, no more sporadic strikes/overtime bans/work to rules for the time being, which is something to be grateful for, but many of those systemic problems will persist.

I wonder if an approach somewhere between  that which the two Governments have taken may have laid the foundations for a better future?

As it is, a well paid group of individuals are now getting paid more, and need do nothing different in return. Good luck to them.

[bobm]

Having heard from senior members of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) today, the general feeling is while there will be greater goodwill from drivers going forward the situation at weekends is unlikely to improve in the short term.   The combination of summer weather and sizeable back pay will reduce the desire from many to work overtime for a while.

[IndustryInsider]

It’s a decent deal in line with average wage growth in other sectors over the past few years.

Well done to Labour for getting it sorted so quickly and highlighting the totally inept approach from the Tories.

I think as with most of these scenarios, reality is somewhat more nuanced and sits somewhere between the two.......there's little doubt the previous Government's approach was intransigent and was not going to succeed in resolving the dispute but given the relatively minor impact of the action the Unions took, and its low profile, they probably felt they could get away with it dragging on.

Labour have now effectively caved in and handed over the money for nothing in return.....easy to get it sorted if you're prepared to do that......they have little leverage now in terms of getting through the reforms and changes to working practices that are desperately needed,  and the Unions have no need to consider them...... at least not until someone is brave enough to raise the subject again!

So, no more sporadic strikes/overtime bans/work to rules for the time being, which is something to be grateful for, but many of those systemic problems will persist.

I wonder if an approach somewhere between  that which the two Governments have taken may have laid the foundations for a better future?

As it is, a well paid group of individuals are now getting paid more, and need do nothing different in return. Good luck to them.

Estimated cost of resolving the dispute for the treasury: £100m
Estimated cost of the ‘the relatively minor impact of the action’ to the nation: £1bn

[a-driver]

They have little leverage now in terms of getting through the reforms and changes to working practices that are desperately needed,  and the Unions have no need to consider them...... at least not until someone is brave enough to raise the subject again!

It’ll no doubt be raised again at the 2025 pay claim….. which becomes the responsibility for the individual TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to settle.

What reforms & working practices need desperately changing?

As it is, a well paid group of individuals are now getting paid more, and need do nothing different in return. Good luck to them.

A rough calculation of my basic monthly finances shows I’m still worse off than just before pre-Covid. I may be getting paid more, but I’m definitely not better off.

[IndustryInsider]

This amused me.  MSN appears to be setting new standards for press hyperbole.  Domestos springs to mind as it’s 99.9% b***ocks!

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/careersandeducation/train-drivers-pay-deal-fails-to-reform-industry-s-outdated-spanish-practices/ar-AA1oS1DT?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=f758e70efdd94de5a08d2eeb80cebdf1&ei=12

[bobm]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg49v5k771o

Rail workers expect the same terms as those offered to train drivers to end their strike action, the boss of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union has said.

Mick Lynch told the Times, external he expected a "parallel, synchronised offer" to that offered to drivers' union Aslef on Wednesday.

That agreement, which could end more than two years of walkouts, saw drivers offered a three-year pay deal, including a 4.5% rise this year.

continues in link

[ChrisB]

I thought that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) had settled up until the current pay round?

This amused me.  MSN appears to be setting new standards for press hyperbole.  Domestos springs to mind as it’s 99.9% b***ocks!

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/careersandeducation/train-drivers-pay-deal-fails-to-reform-industry-s-outdated-spanish-practices/ar-AA1oS1DT?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=f758e70efdd94de5a08d2eeb80cebdf1&ei=12

If you look carefully, that's been pulled from The Torygraph...

[TaplowGreen]

This amused me.  MSN appears to be setting new standards for press hyperbole.  Domestos springs to mind as it’s 99.9% b***ocks!

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/careersandeducation/train-drivers-pay-deal-fails-to-reform-industry-s-outdated-spanish-practices/ar-AA1oS1DT?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=f758e70efdd94de5a08d2eeb80cebdf1&ei=12

I wonder if someone could clarify something for me - what is the position if my manager says hello to me whilst I am having my lunch break, and then asks me to walk to another room to change a socket in order to plug in the microwave oven?

Can I have a week off? 

[IndustryInsider]

I thought that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) had settled up until the current pay round?

Yes I think so.  And will now presumably be asking for a not unreasonable 4.5% for the next settlement?

[ChrisB]

Not quite, it seems - Mick L is saying he now wants parity with ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about)....

Rail workers expect the same terms as those offered to train drivers to end their strike action, the boss of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union has said.

Mick Lynch told the Times, external he expected a "parallel, synchronised offer" to that offered to drivers' union Aslef on Wednesday.

That agreement, which could end more than two years of walkouts, saw drivers offered a three-year pay deal, including a 4.5% rise this year.

The new Labour government also dropped attempts by the previous Tory administration to change drivers' working practices.

Despite the pay deal, Aslef announced on Friday that drivers at London North Eastern Railway (LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about)), a nationalised firm, would strike every weekend in September and October, and two in November in a dispute with management.

Nigel Roebuck, who has led Aslef's negotiations with LNER, said members had complained about being consistently "badgered for favours" by managers "outside of rostering agreements and being contacted remotely".

Conservative shadow transport minister Kieran Mullan said the Aslef strike was "a taste of what is to come: a nationalised train service seeing Labour-backing unions staging walkouts despite a bumper pay deal".

The Conservatives have accused Labour of losing control of public sector pay and of "being played by its union paymasters", and claimed all trade unions would now demand "double-digit rises".

Shadow Commons leader Chris Philp said pay rises awarded by Labour, including a 22% increase for junior doctors over two years, would lead to tax rises at the Budget in October.

Labour Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds defended the government's approach, saying it was "sticking to the promises we made in opposition" that "we would sit down and find solutions".

He also told Times Radio it was wrong to suggest there would be no reform of the railways alongside the Aslef pay offer, adding: "We are absolutely looking to deliver a better service for passengers."

The RMT has confirmed it will enter pay talks next week with the Department for Transport, which will negotiate on behalf of the train operating companies. It will also have talks with Network Rail.

Under the terms of a deal brokered last November, RMT members, such as train guards, were offered a backdated 5% rise for 2022/23, the same as that offered to Aslef members under their three-year deal.

The RMT deal said a 2023/24 pay offer would depend on formal negotiations with individual train companies on working conditions.

It is understood the agreement included a commitment to negotiate reforms at a local level for an expected 4% rise this year.

That amount would be below the 4.75% offered to Aslef drivers for that year as part of the deal to settle their dispute. Drivers have also been offered 4.5% for this year, which would take the average driver salary to around £68,000.

Mr Lynch told the Times: "All the indications are that we will be offered the same terms as Aslef. And we are expecting that it will be delivered."

He added there could be "problems" if this was not the case.

The government has not yet said how the Aslef deal will be paid for. A senior rail industry source said the taxpayer is likely to have to contribute towards funding it, as it may exceed what train companies had set aside in their budgets.

The government in effect took control of the railways during the Covid pandemic, with most train companies in England moving on to contracts where they get a fixed fee to run services, and the taxpayer carries the financial risk.

A number of major operators, including TransPennine Express, have also been taken under public control in recent years.

Labour, which took over pay negotiations from the companies after returning to power at last month's election, has argued the settlements are justified by an estimated £1bn cost to the economy of strike action.

The previous government claimed it was merely a facilitator of talks between the unions and train companies, although in reality it was the main player in the talks because of the financial situation.

However the deal with Aslef, described as "no strings" by the Labour-affiliated union, has also raised questions over the fate of changes to working conditions pursued by the previous Conservative government.

The terms of November's RMT deal saw discussions over changes to working practices, such as rotas and weekend working, pushed back into this year.

Labour, which wants to fully renationalise nearly all remaining privatised passenger rail services over the next five years, has said it wants to put in place a "workforce strategy" for companies taken over by the government.

Meanwhile, ASLEF has called LNER drivers out on weekend strikes this autumn!! From BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) again

Train drivers at London North Eastern Railway (LNER) are set to strike every weekend in September, October and two in November, union bosses have announced.

Aslef, which represents train drivers, said the walkouts at LNER were due to a breakdown in industrial relations and agreements.

The fresh strikes are separate to an ongoing pay dispute with all train companies, which edged closer to being resolved in England this week after a new pay offer.

Separately, Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport have announced more industrial action in a row over changes to terms and conditions.

The Public and Commercial Services union said 650 Border Force officers will strike from 31 August to 3 September, before they begin a period of working-to-rule and refusing to work overtime until 22 September.

The union said officers were being told to "choose between caring responsibilities and their job" due to what it called "inflexible rosters".
LNER 'surprised' by action

Aslef said its member drivers at LNER would walk out every Saturday between 31 August and 9 November and on every Sunday from 1 September to 10 November.

LNER, which operates services on the East Coast Mainline between London and Edinburgh and is run by the government, said it was "surprised and disappointed" by the announcement following recent talks.

Its trains run to and from London King's Cross station and pass through major cities including Newcastle, York and Durham.

Various railway strikes have led to cancelled services and disruption for passengers for more than two years.

The fresh walkouts, which total 22 days, are separate to the long-running row over train driver wages at 16 train companies, which looks set to be resolved in England following a new pay offer made this week.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, claimed the union had been "forced" into taking strike action at LNER.

He accused the train operator of "repeatedly" breaking agreements, acting in "bad faith", and of "boorish behaviour and bullying tactics".

LNER said it would continue to work with the union to "find a way to end this long running dispute which only damages the rail industry".

"Our priority focus will be on minimising disruption to customers during the forthcoming Aslef strikes, which sadly will continue to cause disruption and delays," a statement added.

A spokesperson said the company took "any accusations of bullying very seriously, and this is not something tolerated anywhere in the business".

The Department for Transport said the strikes were "extremely disappointing for passengers", adding that transport secretary Louise Haigh had called on both Aslef and LNER to "round the table and work in good faith to resolve this dispute and as quickly as possible".

But Conservative shadow transport minister Kieran Mullan said following the new pay deal offered, "it should shock nobody that more strikes are on the cards".

"All Labour are doing is encouraging the unions into more of this anti-passenger action, putting our rail network at the beck and call of unions, whilst passengers pay the price," he added.

'Not enough drivers'

Nigel Roebuck, who has led Aslef's negotiations with LNER, said members had complained about being consistently "badgered for favours" by managers "outside of rostering agreements and being contacted remotely".

"The bottom line is that LNER does not employ enough drivers to deliver the services it has promised passengers, and the government, it will run," he suggested.

The Aslef union says it has more than 21,000 members and represents 96% of all the train drivers in England, Scotland, and Wales, where it is organised.

Its leadership team has recommended members accept the newly-tabled offer for train drivers in England, which includes a backdated 5% pay increase for 2019 to 2022, 4.75% for 2022 to 2024, and 4.5% for 2024 to 2025.

Shadow transport minister Kieran Mullan said: "After a no-strings-attached offer to throw cash at a labour-backing union, it should shock nobody that more strikes are on the cards.

"It's a taste of what is to come, a nationalised train service seeing Labour backing unions staging walkouts despite a bumper pay deal.

In another separate dispute, those working for publicly-run Scotrail are currently being balloted for strike action over pay.

On Friday, it emerged that the RMT union, which had resolved its pay offer with the previous Conservative government, would expect the same terms as those offered to train drivers to be put forward to rail workers, such as guards and signalling staff.

Mick Lynch told the Times that he expected a "parallel, synchronised offer", adding there could be “problems” if this is not the case.

The RMT has confirmed it will enter pay talks next week with the Department for Transport, which will negotiate on behalf of the train operating companies and Network Rail.

And Scotrail staff are balloting....

What was that about not having to update the subject line again with 2025?