Ballots and debates in train drivers’ union: members are ready to fight

Aslef member

With twelve to fourteen different disputes and ballots going out for strike, including my own workplace, there is a major build-up of industrial action taking place within train drivers’ union Aslef.

In my area, West Midlands Trains, we are balloting over a pay dispute.

This is taking place alongside the fantastic ballot victory of transport union RMT members across Network Rail and the train operating companies (TOCs). Things are gearing up for a major battle on the railways.

For the biggest collective impact against a common employer, Aslef should coordinate action with the RMT.

Just like other many other workers, we have been called ‘key workers’ and ‘heroes’ throughout lockdowns and Covid.

But our employers refuse to put their money where their empty platitudes are and raise our pay to match inflation.

However it is important to stress that these upcoming industrial battles are not only about an inflation-match pay rise, or a specific workplace agreement.

A battle is taking place between railway unions and the Tory government, who want to smash us, smash collective bargaining, and throw us down to the bottom of the scrapheap.

The Department of Transport is backing up TOCs and the freight operating companies (FOCs) in these attacks on the unions and railway workers, to weaken the collective strength across the workplace and to claw back what they deem to be ‘lost profits’.

Members are ready for this fight, not just for our terms and conditions here and now, but for the future generations of drivers to come.

Affiliation

Aslef’s week-long conference (the AAD – annual assembly of delegates) has recently taken place. 

One of the most serious discussions was on political affiliation. Three separate branches had submitted motions calling for the union to disaffiliate from the Labour Party. In the run up to conference, the union magazine was full of articles referring to the Labour Party.

This included a front page of the March edition which promoted the pledge of the shadow transport secretary to “bring railways back into public ownership”. But the article admits that Keir Starmer has “rowed back” on many of Jeremy Corbyn’s pledges for nationalisation. He has not put any detailed position on ownership of the railways.

Although most motions were published before conference so members could read them, these political motions were not. The conference voted to remain affiliated to the Labour Party.

However, members are sick and tired of the austerity-lite ‘alternative’ being offered by Keir Starmer’s leadership. The upcoming industrial battles will be likely to have a big effect on Aslef members, including more members looking for anti-cuts and socialist ideas, and discussing how they can get a political voice that boosts their industrial fight.