Rail strikes

Aslef members at East Midlands Trains are balloting on the latest company pay offer after ten hours of negotiations led to an offer which the union thinks is an improvement. Strike dates have been suspended.

RMT members in supervisory and station grades working for London Midland are being balloted for action in a dispute over enhanced payments. Other grades, drivers and senior conductors, are being paid double time to work Sundays while supervisory and station grades are not.

Strikes look set to continue at National Express East Anglia (NXEA) where Aslef members have so far had four strike days with more planned on 13 and 14 August and 20 and 21 August.

One of the issues is pay, NXEA is profitable and revenue has grown, but there are other issues which need to be resolved including parity between depots, and equal pay and conditions for all drivers working for the firm. Some issues have been under discussion for five years. Management have also demonstrated bad faith by telling the RMT and TSSA that Aslef had agreed to take the dispute to arbitration when this was untrue.

A further meeting is being held on Monday 10 August. Aslef is setting up a hardship fund for its members in case it is necessary.

An Aslef member