The ASLEF Executive Committee has decided to give London Underground notice that our members will strike on Monday April 8th and Saturday May 4th over management's continued failure to give assurances that there will be no changes to agreements and our members' terms and conditions of employment without the agreement of this union.
This is a long running dispute and action, or the threat of action, has successfully pushed back management plans in the past to impose detrimental changes to the Attendance At Work procedure as well as protecting our pension scheme and preventing changes to working conditions being imposed.
But management have maintained a full-time team of seconded Train Operation Managers, Trains Managers and Project Managers based at TfL head office, working on preparations to implement their plans at a time that is politically convenient for them.
The “Trains Modernisation” plan is designed to cut hundreds of drivers jobs and save £35 million per year by forcing through “efficiencies”. As their own document pointed out, the plan is to have;
Booking on and off at depots and remote locations in your own time adding hours to the time you spend at work every week;
Increasing all current rostering parameters, (the time you spend in the driving cab) to maximise “efficiency” with up to 25% increase in driving time;
The end of all fixed links;
Drastically cutting the number of spare turns and making those that remain “flexible” so that your booking on and finishing time can be changed at short notice;
Cutting walking and train prep time so driving spells can be increased even more;
Removing all local and line agreements;
Introducing 24 hour booking on and off so you can start and finish at any time and night turns are eliminated.
Despite promises that continuous development refresher training (CDP) would restart after the pandemic they have completely removed it, replacing it with just one day “competence verification”. The result is that all drivers, but especially recently qualified ones are being deprived of the chance to refresh their knowledge and skills.
Broken promises on safety and security.
There have also been repeated delays to plans to make drivers' cabs secure, so that you are safe in your place of work. This was agreed after a previous dispute, but management have made virtually no progress on the promised work.
No expense is spared to make sure TfL head office buildings have state of the art security and facilities but train drivers' concerns are being ignored. When Night Tube was introduced, dedicated additional police resources were agreed to help deal with safety concerns, but they are now nowhere to be seen. Staff are left feeling at risk and unsupported.
Train staff are not prepared to put up with the consequences of the failure to adequately fund the Underground. We want TfL to honour the commitments made in the past and give us the assurances we need for the future.
ASLEF members will take action to make sure that happens.
Our Train Operator/Driving Grade members employed by the London Underground will not be booking on for duties starting between:
00:01 and 23:59 on Monday 8th April 2024,
And between
00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 4th May 2024.
As always we are available for talks, but our members expect real action from London Underground, not more easily broken promises.
Finn Brennan
ASLEF District Organiser.
