Workplace Report November 2017

Bargaining news

Aslef agrees deal with Southern Rail


Members of the ASLEF train drivers’ union have voted to accept a deal to end the union’s long-running dispute with Southern Rail. 


The agreement covers pay and conditions, as well as the presence of a second safety-trained person on the trains. 


The deal gives the drivers a 28.5% pay increase over five years, covering the October 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 pay settlements. 


The union had been in dispute with Southern Rail since early last year over the company’s implementation of driver-only operation (DOO) whereby the train driver has responsibility for the opening and closing of train doors.


ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan said that the agreement would mean that there would be a second safety-trained person “on every train covered by this agreement except in exceptional circumstances” and that this person “will have all the relevant safety competence – including the skills to evacuate passengers in an emergency.”


The RMT union remains in dispute with Southern Rail over the implementation of DOO and the role of the guard on trains. 


www.aslef.org.uk/article.php?group_id=5971

www.aslef.org.uk/article.php?group_id=5910