Last week ASLEF met with FirstTram Operations management, who operate the Croydon Tram system, at ACAS to try to find a way forward in our dispute over pay and conditions. We had hoped that management would be prepared to make a new offer, but they simply repeated their previous position and were not prepared to change it in any way. We pointed out that our members had already rejected their offer with a huge strike vote of 99.1% in favour of action on a turn out of almost 90%. Just repeating the same offer again and again does not make it acceptable ! That means that our strike this Thursday 28th will go ahead for duties signing on between 00.01 and 23.59. Management have pushed through change after change against Union opposition. They closed the previous pension scheme and replaced it with an inferior one, saving First Group huge amount of money but costing employees many thousands of pounds in lost benefits across their working life. They pushed through the Guardian device without previous consultation with reps. Now they intend to impose new rosters that have not been agreed. In fact our members first heard about this from an article in the local paper !
It is now absolutely clear that management will only start to listen to the concerns of staff and their elected representatives when they demonstrate by effective action that we are prepared to stand up for themselves ! ASLEF members are saying "enough is enough" ! This strike is about the failure to make an acceptable offer on our pay and conditions claim, but 100 % solid action this week will show management that they are determined to be treated with the respect that their professionalism deserves at work.
After our strike on Thursday, the ASLEF Executive Committee will then discuss with your elected reps, what the next steps in this dispute will be.
Support your Union ! Support your colleagues.