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Commuters in London face yet more transport chaos in April and May. Train drivers on the London Underground will walk out in a long-running dispute over terms and conditions.
The Aslef labor group, which speaks for 90% of Tube engineers, has planned strikes for the London Underground on Monday, April 8 and Saturday, May 4.
The strike will likely cause a complete shutdown of the network.
Are you traveling? The train operators’ union, Aslef, has declared work stoppages for the London Underground on Monday, April 8th and Saturday, May 4th.
Aslef’s full-time organizer for the Tube, Finn Brennan, attributed the sudden strike to the employer’s refusal to promise that any changes to their members’ terms and conditions will be made with their consent and that all previous agreements will be fulfilled.
The man stated that the company desires drivers to have longer shifts, increasing their time in the cab by 25%, and eliminate any current work agreements in order to achieve “flexibility and efficiency.”
“Everyone understands the true implications of these buzzwords used in management. It ultimately involves pressuring individuals to increase their workload and hours while receiving less compensation.”
The majority of Aslef workers at London Underground voted overwhelmingly, with over 98 percent in favour of going on strike. The voter turnout was more than 70 percent.
The current actions taking place are the second and third day of addressing the same matter. Last March, a strike that lasted one day resulted in shutting down most of the tube network.
The protest does not include railway operators on the Elizabeth Line, as they have a distinct arrangement. Trains on London Overground and the Docklands Light Railway are expected to operate normally, but may experience more crowding.
A representative from Transport for London stated that they have been engaged in lengthy negotiations with their trade union counterparts regarding the modernization of protocols and practices on the London Underground. This is in efforts to enhance the experience for both employees and passengers.
“We have no plans to impose these changes and have committed to no one losing their job as part of these changes, and we have engaged with our unions to demonstrate that no change will be made that compromises our steadfast commitment to safety on the Tube network.
“We are asking Aslef to keep engaging in discussions with us to prevent any disruption for the people of London.”
The Tube’s actions are separate from the bigger Aslef disagreement with 14 National Rail train companies regarding wages and regulations. The dispute has yet to be resolved, and more strikes have been scheduled for April.
Source: independent.co.uk
