Labour in Brighton
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L a n r u o ASLEFThe ASSOCIATED SOCIETY of LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & FIREMEN J NOVEMBER 2017 Power to the people – Labour in Brighton The train drivers ’ union since 1880 railway enginemen’s tax free saver plans tax free savings plans for Resource Managers, Roster Clerks, Driver Assessoors, Driver TTeameam Managers, Customer Service AssistantAssistants,ts, Driver Instructors, Drivers, Customer Service Managers,gers, TTrainrain Managers, Conductors, Retail Sales Managers,s, First Class Hosts, On Board Cleaners, Controllers, GGuards, Revenue Protection Inspectors & Senior Conductorrs and anyone we’ve missed out who works on the railways or for train operating companies! for further information call uus on freephone 08800 328 9140 visit our website at www.ennginemens.co.ukk or write to us at Railway Enginemeen's Assurance Society Limited, 727 WWashwoodashwood Heath Road, BirmBirmingham,mingham, B8 2LE @RailwayEnginemens Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Incorporated under the Friendly Societies Act 19922 L 7 a 1 0 2 n R E r B M u E V o O J Published by the AASLEFSSOCIATED SOCIETY of LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & FIREMEN N Mick: ‘Comments at the Conservative conference raise more questions than answers’ No scab force here 5 7 UCH has been made of recent comments made in or around the Tory M Party conference in relation to rail, particularly in the media. But they raised more News questions than answers. The announcement of £300 million for connectivity from the Trans TfL axes plan to upgrade Tube lines 4 Pennine region to HS2, for example. Not sure this Thomas the Tank Engine rebooted for C21 5 is new money? More likely it was made to offset 11 all the criticism of the culling of electrification Tosh McDonald on Rodney Bickerstaffe 6 across the East Midlands and Wales. Young Workers’ Forum, new driving school 7 After the second announcement, of a national train drivers’ school, some said it’s an initiative for Nicholas Hourigan on the Tolpuddle Martyrs 8 full employment, which this trade union has strived for decades to achieve. More sinisterly, though, others saw it as a strike breaking entity Features based on the very poor and redacted Gibb Report. The truth is that the DfT and the TOCs Matt Wrack of the FBU on Grenfell and 10 have not delivered the establishments we agreed, Andy Hourigan on a joint D3 & D8 council 12-13 and demand, for a safely operated railway. If we do agree a national school, then it will be based Brighton rocks: ASLEF in action at the 11 on agreed requirements and because the trainees Labour Party conference on the south coast will get the route training at the company. There Mick Whelan, Tosh McDonald and Andy 12-13 will not be a scab force to hand. More Botham speak up for ASLEF at conference importantly, they will, of course, be our members and, as trainees dedicated to the company, will Partying at conference; Rachael Maskell; 14 be balloted in accordance with legislation. But if Kelvin Hopkins; Mick a model for the NEU the government wants to scupper our buy-in to any proposals they are going the right way and, Richard Leonard: Why I’m standing to be 15 15 let’s be clear, any attempt to introduce the HGV leader of the Scottish Labour Party model to our industry will be met with total resistance. This trade union was formed on democratic Regulars principles 137 years ago after splitting from the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Those Branch News and 100 Years of Union 16-17 principles still apply today; to use every tool at Obituaries 19 our disposal to fight and campaign on behalf of Letters and Classified Advertisements 20-21 our members as an industrial and political pressure group. That is how we achieve our aims Last Word: Gregor Gall on the challenges 22 and have our voice and, after the core work on of unionising sex workers in Britain terms and conditions, safety and wages, we campaign on all the things that impact on our On Track, Prize Crossword, ASLEF’s 23 members and their families. Then we battle for Legal Services and Change of Address 22 workers in other industries at home and abroad Cover photos by Andrew Wiard as part of the great trade union tradition we were established to carry out. Every year more and more items come to your parliament, AAD, for The ASLEF Journal is published every month by: discussion to be the policy platform for this generation to proudly take forward. It is not ASLEF, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN Tel: 020 7324 2400 enough to affiliate and donate; we have to stand email: [email protected] website: www.aslef.org.uk up for what our members tell us to do. Yours fraternally Editor Mick Whelan l dEsignEr Michael Cronin l PrintEr TU Ink, 5 Wythburn Place, London, W1H 7BU Mick Whelan, general secretary advErtising ASLEF Journal, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN. Contact Keith Richmond on 0207 324 2407 or [email protected] l CLassifiEd ads [email protected] or call 020 7324 2400. The acceptance of a display or classified advertisement does not necessarily imply endorsement of that product or service by ASLEF ChangE of addrEss Please post your details to ASLEF, 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN November 2017 l The ASLEF Journal 3 news cannot afford to return TfL axes plan to to the decades of Buggy rolls into stop-start investment that did so much upgrade Tube damage in the past. If freight train we are to have a safe and efficient public HE next example of making transport system, planned medium-term savings these cuts need to be T upgrade that damage the long- reversed.’ finn fears the phase for the term ability of the G ASLEF has northern line will, Northern and Jubilee Tube to cope with suspended its strike once again, become lines on London London’s growth. As action on LU. Finn the misery line for Underground has TfL board papers explained: ‘I am millions of been cancelled. The make clear, any delays pleased to say that our Londoners plans – originally said to this project weaken negotiating team to be vital to the the business case and new trains, believes we have success of the make outright overcrowding will get made sufficient the pushchair rolls into the freight train network – involved cancellation more worse and the progress in talks at buying more trains to likely.’ Northern line risks ACAS to recommend Dramatic CCTV footage of a child’s buggy increase capacity. The upgrade returning to the days to the EC that the rolling across a station platform, being sucked Now, officially, these involved the purchase when it was known to strike be suspended. into the slipstream of a freight train passing plans have been put of 17 trains so the millions of Londoners We have always been through, before smashing into the side of one on hold. They have, Northern line could as the “misery line”. prepared to keep of the wagons, has been released by the RSSB. publicly, in the run a 30 trains per ‘The removal of talking to resolve this No child was in the buggy on Nuneaton euphemism hour service. The LU’s operating subsidy dispute but ASLEF station in July but the RSSB says it’s a stark employed by LU, been Jubilee line would by George Osborne always has, and always warning to parents to keep a tight hold of ‘paused’. But senior have had 10 new and the continued will, insist that pushchairs at all times. managers admit, trains to operate a 36 government squeeze management stick to privately, that the TPH service. on TfL’s budget is agreements they TWEETS OF THE MONTH project has been ‘The Northern line having a devastating make with us. Our ‘disbanded’. is one of the most impact on future ballot remains live and Excellent speech by JC. The centre Finn Brennan, overcrowded parts of investment. Short- we will not hesitate to ground has moved and is being ASLEF’s organiser on the Underground and term savings damage call action in the shaped by Labour. Great platform on London Underground, passenger demand is the long-term future future if needed to which to build. said: ‘It is deeply projected to grow by of the Underground ensure all the Ed Miliband disappointing and a further 25% by 2023,’ and risk the prosperity commitments made looks like a classic said Finn. ‘Without of our capital city. LU are fully delivered.’ Huge blocks of empty seats at the Con conference, sections closed off WELSH GOVERNMENT for want of bums on seats. Labour was COMMITS TO WALES & packed. BORDER STAFF hopes and dreams Kevin Maguire the gs has welcomed the Welsh Socialism & Hope (Luath Press, As general rule Foreign Secretaries government’s commitments to £12.99) is a cracking political should not be egomaniacal, lying, rail staff in Wales and called for and personal memoir of the puerile, disloyal, total twats. I suggest similar consultation across the turbulent last six years, since @theresa_may finds a new one. industry. Mick said: ’We neil findlay, a good friend of Alastair Campbell commend the Welsh asLEf, was elected to government for recognising the holyrood as MsP for Lothian in Hi @BorisJohnson, I gave Theresa her importance of consulting with 2011. a review will appear in P45 just like you asked. the rail unions. our members the Christmas Journal but you Simon Brodkin are the people who deliver the can get a copy now by visiting www.luath.co.uk service on a daily basis and their voice must always be She’s been given a P45 and a cough heard when deciding how the sweet.