Strike negotiations fail to prevent Aslef walkout
Train services in the UK will be affected by a 24-hour strike being held today (August 24th).
A strike by Transpennine Express train drivers is to go ahead
after talks between Aslef - the union representing the workers -
and the company broke down.
Today (August 24th) and Friday will see demonstrations after the
organisation deciding against continuing strike negotiations with
the body.
Aslef - which has over 18,500 members - revealed they had
offered to bring the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
(ACAS) into the discussions, but this offer has been rejected.
Nicky Whitehead, the Aslef official leading negotiations with
Transpennine Express, noted: "We felt we were making progress and
offered to continue the talks. They said no. We offered to suspend
the action and involve the conciliation service ACAS. They said
no."
He added that because of the attitude adopted by the train
company, there is no choice other than to go ahead with industrial
action.
The source of the dispute is the 2.2 per cent pay increase
employees have been offered.
Posted by Ron Maverick