Finally, British rail users can breathe a sigh of relief. After more than two years of strikes across Britain’s rail network, ASLEF train drivers have voted to back a pay deal and resolve a long-running dispute with rail operators.
Today (September 18) ASLEF announced that union members have overwhelmingly voted in favour of a recently negotiated pay deal, with 97 percent of over 20,000 members supporting it.
ASLEF’s dispute which began all the way back in July 2022 impacted 16 operators across the UK (including some in London), and the union’s members have taken a total of 18 days of action since then.
RECOMMENDED: Here’s the full list of London tube closures and travel disruption this weekend September 20-22.
ASLEF pay deal terms
So, what deal have ASLEF drivers voted in favour of? It’s a little complicated, but they’ll essentially get a pay rise of 15 percent over three years.
In August ASLEF revealed that the deal for pay rises is: 5 percent for 2022-23, 4.75 percent for 2023-24 and 4.5 percent for 2024-25. The first two years will be backdated and, importantly, there won’t be any changes to working conditions.
What’s been said about the deal?
Commenting on the deal, ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan told the Guardian:
‘The strength and resilience and determination shown by train drivers to protect their hard-won and paid-for terms and conditions against the political piracy of an inept and destructive Tory government has prevailed.’
Transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘After two years of chaos on our railways under the Conservatives, this is an important step towards fixing our railways and getting the country moving again.’
A spokesperson from the Rail Delivery Group added: ‘We welcome the news that the dispute with train drivers has been resolved. The whole railway now needs to pull together and focus on delivering the best possible service for our customers.’
So, good news for commuters, travellers and train drivers!
What about the RMT?
We must caveat: the UK’s current period of rail strikes may not be completely over yet. While the RMT reached a deal with the Government before Christmas last year, Mick Lynch recently said his rail workers expect the same terms as those offered to ASLEF drivers. Watch this space for updates.
Time Out and Britain’s trains
Now that train strikes are over (for now), there’s no better time to book a train-tastic UK getaway. Why not factor in some Time Out rail travel guides, whether it be the UK’s most scenic train routes or the most beautiful train stations.
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