Once again, ASLEF members across London Underground have returned large Yes votes for action if management try to push through changes to working conditions or pensions without agreement.
Our train driver members have voted by 98.5 % in favour of action on a turnout of 68.3%, even higher than our last ballot. Test Train drivers achieved a 100% Yes vote on a huge 94.3% turnout while Transplant members also voted 100% for action on a 58.2 % turnout.
Although management grades voted in favour of action by a 91% margin, turnout unfortunately was 45% which is below the legal requirement required.
So far, we have successfully used our mandates for industrial action to ensure that the multi-year pay agreement was honoured in full and to prevent management forcing through changes to the Attendance at Work procedure. Management also backed off from proposing detrimental changes to trains agreements when our reps made clear that our members were prepared to strike if needed. And despite hundreds of thousands of pounds being spent on a pension review, no proposals for change have yet been tabled.
But we know that the threats to agreements, conditions and pensions haven't gone away. We have to be ready to take action when we need to. ASLEF have been clear all along that we are prepared to negotiate change and discuss options that improve the working lives of our members. But we will never accept an agenda driven by cost cutting at the expense of agreements we have worked so hard to achieve.
In the coming weeks we expect to hear more about managements proposals for different grades across the combine. We will keep members informed and be ready to respond as appropriate. But for now, I want to thank all of our members who took part in the ballot and all our reps and branch officials who worked hard to ensure we got the result we needed.
There are big battles ahead. ASLEF is ready to face them.
Finn Brennan
ASLEF District Organiser.
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