SWR drivers to be balloted - ASLEF

[winks]

BBC reporting that ASLEF are balloting SWR drivers over the national pay dispute, and that drivers previously weren’t part of the other 14 TOCS striking due to a previous pay deal.

Was this the 3 year deal that was agreed c2019?

 

[Midlands5678]

Good.

 

[43066]

BBC reporting that ASLEF are balloting SWR drivers over the national pay dispute, and that drivers previously weren’t part of the other 14 TOCS striking due to a previous pay deal.

Was this the 3 year deal that was agreed c2019?

I know they signed a multi year deal just prior to Covid so, if that ended last year, it would make sense for them to enter the dispute now. Albeit (hopefully!) a resolution is now close.

 

[winks]

When are ASLEF expecting an offer from RDG ?

 

[Snow1964]

Good.

What's good, BBC doing reporting, or a 3 year deal, or a ballot ?

 

[SamYeager]

What's good, BBC doing reporting, or a 3 year deal, or a ballot ?

Pretty obviously it's the last option.

 

[Snow1964]

Pretty obviously it's the last option.

Not obvious to me why a ballot is preferable to successfully negotiating a good deal without needing a strike threat. Usually better to keep powder dry until the day you need it.

 

[jc1]

The pay offer is a whopping 0% . I don't think there is a need to keep powder dry.

 

[winks]

It surely isn’t 0% though , is it ?

 

[JonathanH]

With inflation showing no signs of coming down in any significant way, it might be wondered just how many years these disputes will go on for.

 

[dk1]

When are ASLEF expecting an offer from RDG ?

Next meet up is 26th April.

 

[Goldfish62]

The pay offer is a whopping 0% . I don't think there is a need to keep powder dry.

Is that true? Have SWR actually formally offered 0%?

 

[43066]

Is that true? Have SWR actually formally offered 0%?

I think the point being made is that, as things stand, the offer is zero!

 

[Goldfish62]

I think the point being made is that, as things stand, the offer is zero!

I see.

 

[vikingdriver]

Is there a link to this BBC report being quoted as I can't find anything anywhere!

 

[winks]

No link …. it was on BBC South Today last night. Makes you wonder what they discuss at these meetings, to be honest given ASLEFs previous attitude surprised further strikes haven’t been called!

 

[Starmill]

With inflation showing no signs of coming down in any significant way, it might be wondered just how many years these disputes will go on for.

Although in the specific case of SWR drivers, it's worth noting that they weren't in dispute in 2022-23 or before. They're only in dispute over 2023-24 (or beyond if it continues). This is in contrast to many RMT bargaining units who are still in dispute over last year, the year before that and maybe earlier.

 

[Goldfish62]

Although in the specific case of SWR drivers, it's worth noting that they weren't in dispute in 2022-23 or before. They're only in dispute over 2023-24 (or beyond if it continues). This is in contrast to many RMT bargaining units who are still in dispute over last year, the year before that and maybe earlier.

So they can't be part of the general national dispute because they're not in dispute over the same thing.

And by the same logic other TOCs must now also be in dispute over 2023-24.

Hotheads on both sides will no doubt be hoping for a perpetual dispute to go on for years, while everyone else will be hoping for a quick settlement.

 

[43066]

So they can't be part of the general national dispute because they're not in dispute over the same thing.

They are now.

Hotheads on both sides will no doubt be hoping for a perpetual dispute to go on for years, while everyone else will be hoping for a quick settlement.

Nobody I know in ASLEF wants this to go on a second longer than necessary, and nobody wanted the dispute in the first place. We (at my TOC) just want a pay rise for the first time since 2019, because bills do not pay themselves, and no bonfire of Ts and Cs.

 

[alf]

SWR drivers were given big pay rises in a 3 year deal from the start of 2020.
The deal involved agreeing to do the doors on the new 701 units & accepting automatic robot braking for London area stations.

ASLEF then objected to the cab design on the 701s delaying introduction. Then Covid & faults discussed on the forum have put paid to SWR drivers having to work the 701s. Even the testing is done by outside drivers,
So it has been money for old rope & now more ££ is wanted.

Yet all around SWR at Southern, Thames Valley GWR, Chiltern, South Eastern, Thameslink etc drivers have worked real DOO for 30 years for, in some cases, less money then SWR drivers have had for three years.

 

[Goldfish62]

They are now.

How can they be in dispute over 2021-22 and 2022-23 when they have already accepted a multi year deal covering those years, and which has been fulfilled?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2023 ==

Nobody I know in ASLEF wants this to go on a second longer than necessary, and nobody wanted the dispute in the first place. We (at my TOC) just want a pay rise for the first time since 2019, because bills do not pay themselves, and no bonfire of Ts and Cs.

Jolly good.

 

[Drogba11CFC]

I should have seen this coming - mind you, ASLEF have seemingly kept their powder a lot drier in the past 12 months.

Hopefully this is what proves the last straw and the Winchester City board turn away from potentially groundsharing at Havant and secure an acceptable deal with Eastleigh or Aldershot instead. (We're looking to upgrade our stadium and will need somewhere else to play while the work is carried out, but Clanfield and Moneyfields already play at Havant)

 

[12LDA28C]

I have heard that ASLEF is also balloting once again for strike action at CrossCountry.

 

[winks]

I’m not involved but I suspect the SWR ballot will/is being treated differently to the national dispute ….after all they’ve had a massive pay rise from 2019-22. The strike dates may end up being on the same day as the other drivers, but for all intense purposes a separate dispute. HOWEVER - is there apetite amongst drivers to strike even though they’ve received a pay deal when others have not. Also - would senior management regard them as a special case and perhaps not award them any rise for this year! Who knows !

 

[vikingdriver]

I’m not involved but I suspect the SWR ballot will/is being treated differently to the national dispute ….after all they’ve had a massive pay rise from 2019-22. The strike dates may end up being on the same day as the other drivers, but for all intense purposes a separate dispute. HOWEVER - is there apetite amongst drivers to strike even though they’ve received a pay deal when others have not. Also - would senior management regard them as a special case and perhaps not award them any rise for this year! Who knows !

Presuming it ends up a 2 year offer like that proposed to the RMT, I imagine they would effectively go straight to year 2 of it so everyone is in the same place.

 

[lammergeier]

I have heard that ASLEF is also balloting once again for strike action at CrossCountry.

Routine reballot after 6 months. (The mandate is only legal for 6 months so if the dispute drags on there has to be a another ballot). I think this is the second reballot, so third vote in total.

 

[43066]

How can they be in dispute over 2021-22 and 2022-23 when they have already accepted a multi year deal covering those years, and which has been fulfilled?

I think it’s simply that that deal has ended and they’re entering into the dispute for the 23/24 award.

HOWEVER - is there apetite amongst drivers to strike even though they’ve received a pay deal when others have not.

That’s a fair point; logically you’d expect less of an appetite on the financial side, then again the proposed Ts and Cs changes will affect them, too.

 

[Sm5]

There surely has to be a better way than just eternal conflict between unions and management.

 

[Turtle]

There surely has to be a better way than just eternal conflict between unions and management.

You must remember that where the railway is concerned there are three in the bed, unions, management and most importantly, the government.

 

[DennisM]

There surely has to be a better way than just eternal conflict between unions and management.

Industrial relations with SWR/SWT drivers have been good for many years, I don’t think there’s been a company wide dispute that has got anywhere close to a strike in the last 20 years.
Due to the nature of collective bargaining there’s always an element of back & forth between the company & unions, if only for both sides to feel that they’ve made headway before coming to an agreement. It’s either that or ‘take what you’re given‘ as has become the norm else where, along with collapsing living standards.