Does ASLEF have any firemen?

[LNW-GW Joint]

I suppose there are as many firemen in ASLEF as there are boilermakers in GMB.

I always liked the name behind the mining supervisor's union NACODS (National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers).
I see that is has wound up as a union as it has no active members, but it still exists for retired members.
It evokes a different world where maintaining the separation of jobs and grades was an important part of union activity.
I guess ASLEF, protecting specific railway skills, comes from the same position.
Meanwhile the trend is towards more generic and flexible jobs.
And many firms, particularly those of "sunrise industries" are non-unionised.

 

[alf]

LBC was the London Broadcasting Company when it started in 1973.

And I joined LBC at Gough Square in an alley off Fleet Street in October 1973 in the first staff intake.
I came from BBC local radio. John Snow joined with me. He had been a charity worker, not a journalist, but he took to it like a duck to water.

I remember covering ASLEF strikes & work to rules in my first months at LBC.
A memorable wildcat strike occurred during an ASLEF work to rule at Waterloo.
Drivers were refusing to work 4SUB emus if they did not have a full supply of detonators or red & green flags in the cab lockers.

A supervisor checked the front cab just before the notorious ASLEF branch sec was due to work the train at Waterloo. It had all the right equipment so the supervisor left a note in the cab saying “Cab fully equipped & you would be daft to refuse to take train out.”

On reading the note the branch sec declared it an insulting message & he called an immediate strike there & then which immediately paralysed the SW division of Southern region for 24 hours.

Steam engines had been scrapped 7 years earlier but there were plenty of ex ASLEF firemen promoted to motormen to call out.

 

[Crazyb]

Makes me laugh that I’ve been in ASLEF for over 24 years now & never even thought about half these questions let alone care.

Nearly 38 years, but i do laugh...let them crack on.

 

[Spartacus]

I reckon there'll probably be some WCRC or similar fireman who proudly claims to be the man who keeps the F in ASLEF!

 

[TommyJ]

And I joined LBC at Gough Square in an alley off Fleet Street in October 1973 in the first staff intake.
I came from BBC local radio. John Snow joined with me. He had been a charity worker, not a journalist, but he took to it like a duck to water.

I remember covering ASLEF strikes & work to rules in my first months at LBC.
A memorable wildcat strike occurred during an ASLEF work to rule at Waterloo.
Drivers were refusing to work 4SUB emus if they did not have a full supply of detonators or red & green flags in the cab lockers.

A supervisor checked the front cab just before the notorious ASLEF branch sec was due to work the train at Waterloo. It had all the right equipment so the supervisor left a note in the cab saying “Cab fully equipped & you would be daft to refuse to take train out.”

On reading the note the branch sec declared it an insulting message & he called an immediate strike there & then which immediately paralysed the SW division of Southern region for 24 hours.

Steam engines had been scrapped 7 years earlier but there were plenty of ex ASLEF firemen promoted to motormen to call out.

Used to listen avidly to LBC as a teen in the 80s. Particularly late at night. It was a revelation.

 

[Dai Corner]

And I joined LBC at Gough Square in an alley off Fleet Street in October 1973 in the first staff intake.
I came from BBC local radio. John Snow joined with me. He had been a charity worker, not a journalist, but he took to it like a duck to water.

I remember covering ASLEF strikes & work to rules in my first months at LBC.
A memorable wildcat strike occurred during an ASLEF work to rule at Waterloo.
Drivers were refusing to work 4SUB emus if they did not have a full supply of detonators or red & green flags in the cab lockers.

A supervisor checked the front cab just before the notorious ASLEF branch sec was due to work the train at Waterloo. It had all the right equipment so the supervisor left a note in the cab saying “Cab fully equipped & you would be daft to refuse to take train out.”

On reading the note the branch sec declared it an insulting message & he called an immediate strike there & then which immediately paralysed the SW division of Southern region for 24 hours.

Steam engines had been scrapped 7 years earlier but there were plenty of ex ASLEF firemen promoted to motormen to call out.

Frustrating tens of thousands of Conservative-voting commuters as well as costing hundreds of motormen a day's pay, BR millions of pounds of revenue and eventually leading to the Trade Union legislation of the 1980s.