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ASLEF members agree on deal to end long running Southern dispute

GTR and ASLEF have finally agreed a deal to end the long-term industrial dispute over Southern Railway.

A deal was put to the union’s members last month and today the agreement was accepted by 80% of drivers.

The pair have been at odds since last April after ASLEF took issue with drivers’ pay and the planned driver-only operated (DOO) services.

The latest deal will give drivers a 28.5% increase in pay over the next five years without changes to the terms and conditions under which Southern employs its staff. It also includes an agreement whereby every train will have a second safety-trained person on board except in exceptional circumstances.

“Our members on Southern, after careful consideration, and long and hard negotiations, have voted to accept this resolution to our industrial dispute with the company,” commented Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF.

“We are pleased with a resolution which we believe works for the staff, and the company, and we now look forward to working with Southern Rail to restore good industrial relations and deliver the service passengers in the region deserve.”

The news follows three days of striking and an overtime ban on drivers in August, as well as £13.4m in payments which the DfT made GTR spend on the franchise.

Responding to today's referendum result, Nick Brown, GTR’s COO, explained: “This dispute has been difficult for our passengers in particular and we are pleased that we can now move ahead and deliver stability by finally concluding this deal with ASLEF.

“Our trains will be planned to have a second person on board and this has been the arrangement we have operated over the last year. More on-train staff are on more trains with more passengers than ever before. The on-board service concept has been welcomed by our passengers across the board.

“Should, in certain circumstances, a train not have that second person on board then it will still be able to run until a replacement can be provided. Avoiding cancellations is key to us delivering a resilient and reliable service across the busiest and most congested part of the UK rail network.”

Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) used the news to criticise the RMT which is responsible for today’s widespread strikes.

Plummer said: “This decision leaves the RMT leadership completely isolated. The travelling public will not thank them for another round of disruptive and unnecessary strike action.

“The RMT should work together with rail companies to deliver the industry's plan to improve services for passengers, communities, the country and their members.

“This agreement shows that unions can be a part of a bright future for the railway, supporting the industry to deliver its plan to improve for passengers with more jobs in rail, including safety trained staff on trains and at stations.”

However, Mick Cash, the RMT’s general secretary, said today’s deal was “shoddy” and “appalling”. Adding that it let down disabled and elderly people who would no longer be guaranteed a second member of staff to assist them in boarding.

He also claimed the deal was only made because of financial pressures brought on ASLEF by Southern. Suggesting legal costs aimed at the union had forced its hand and made it impossible not to come to an agreement.

Cash continued: “The result changes absolutely nothing in terms of RMT’s campaign for a safe and accessible railway for all.

“On behalf of RMT I repeat the demand that Theresa May and Chris Grayling call off the centrally imposed blockade on serious talks in all of the current rail disputes and allow us to get on with genuine negotiations with their contractors.

“If the government allows normal industrial relations to recommence it would free the union up to negotiate deals like the ones we have successfully struck in Wales and Scotland that‎ guarantee a guard on the trains. If it's good enough for Scotland and Wales it's good enough for the rest of Britain.”

In February a similar proposal – rejected by ASLEF members – was described by the RMT as a “shocking betrayal”.

Top image: Victoria Jones PA Archive

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