17.08.1995

Rail union bosses sabotage strike

ON THURSDAY August 3 Tony West and left executive committee member, Martin Samways attended a meeting of Aslef union drivers in Manchester. They had come to explain the EC decision to suspend the industrial action and ballot drivers on the offer put forward by the British Rail Board.

This was 3% on basic pay and a 37 hour week in 1997 to be negotiated with the train operating companies. Both speakers derided the offer and called on members to vote overwhelmingly to reject.

On Thursday August 10 drivers voted by 53.9% to reject the offer. By 6pm that day the EC had called off the dispute after the BRB moved the 37 hour week from 1997 to 1996. Big deal.

The BRB had threatened to withdraw pay deductions, derecognise the union and shut named depots. The EC bottled out instead of standing up to these hollow threats. They have by their actions now destroyed a once proud union.

If the left does not organise quickly Aslef might never recover. Drivers in Manchester have already torn up union cards. Some have applied to the Rail Maritime and Transport union. Some have dropped out altogether.

The management are understandably cock-a-hoop. From facing the sinking of their beloved privatisation and a militant workforce resulting from a successful strike they have now been given a free hand to make further attacks on union organisations and local activists. Having taken advice from the chairman of Northwest Water, they have gone on the offensive.

Andy Phillips, a leading member of the signalworkers’ strike committee, has been sacked over a trivial ticket irregularity. Manchester South RMT are to launch a campaign for his reinstatement.