Strikes Continue: ASLEF Denies Viewing New Government as ‘Soft Touch’ Amid Fresh LNER Walkouts

ASLEF union rejects notion of a lenient new government in light of recent LNER strike declarations

The conflict is distinct from an ongoing disagreement regarding salaries, which appears close to resolution following a recent proposal.

Saturday, August 17, 2024, 10:

The chief negotiator for ASLEF has rejected claims that the union views the new administration as lenient, following the declaration of new strikes just two days after train drivers received a pay offer.

Locomotive operators employed by London North Eastern Railway (LNER), the company operating the train service along the East Coast main route connecting London and Edinburgh, are set to strike on weekends starting from late August due to disagreements regarding work contracts.

Chief negotiator Nigel Roebuck stated that this matter is distinct from the ongoing dispute regarding salaries, which appears to be nearing resolution following a significantly better proposal from the government. This proposal is set to be voted on by ASLEF members.

However, the scheduled strikes, set to occur over 22 days on each Saturday from August 31 to November 9 and every Sunday from September 1 to November 10, have raised worries that the agreement has prompted unions to pursue additional strikes.

Numerous Border Force agents at Heathrow Airport are set to strike from August 31 to September 3, as part of an ongoing disagreement regarding imposed alterations to their terms and conditions.

Shadow home secretary James Cleverly, vying for the Tory leadership, expressed to The Times that the Labour government has been manipulated by its union backers.

"The newest series of strikes is expected to severely impact families that depend on rail services to visit family members."

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In a conversation with Sky News, Mr. Roebuck stated that he did not believe the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, appeared "foolish" and commended her for behaving maturely.

When questioned about whether he views the Labour government as somewhat lenient, he responded, "Those who once shut out the trade unions and avoided discussions to resolve problems are now the ones casting stones from the sidelines."

"When all is said and done, it actually isn't gentle."

He described the relationship between ASLEF and LNER as "pretty toxic," which he said had caused a collapse in workplace relations, and urged the operator to "engage in discussions."

"We need to stop this and progress the industry," he stated.

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A spokesperson from LNER stated: "Our main concern is to reduce any inconvenience to our passengers during the upcoming ASLEF strikes, which will unfortunately still lead to delays and disruptions.

"We are both shocked and disheartened upon receiving this news, especially after the recent positive discussions."

"We remain committed to collaborating with ASLEF to resolve this prolonged conflict that adversely affects the rail sector."

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A spokesperson from the Department for Transport expressed their disappointment regarding the new strikes, stating, "This is extremely disappointing for passengers."

"The transportation minister has urged ASLEF and LNER to return to negotiations and sincerely work together to settle this conflict as swiftly as possible."

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