L A N R U O ASLEFThe ASSOCIATED SOCIETY of LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & FIREMEN J JANUARY 2018 Rachael Maskell – I ran for Parliament on a burning sense of injustice 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 A 8 1 N 0 2 R Y R A U U N O A J Published by the AASLEFSSOCIATED SOCIETY of LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & FIREMEN J Mick: ‘How many TOCs will go back cap in hand?’ Heads they win, tails we lose 5 12-13 IRGIN Care, having lost a contract, sued V the health authority and were awarded hundreds of thousands of pounds and, News to rub salt into the wounds, awarded a major contract in Lancashire. When Virgin Stagecoach Failures of management to blame for crash 4 lost the West Coast gravy train they used the same tactics; we have never quite understood how they Swan waits at Lincoln city level crossing 5 then retained it? The warning, of course, is that if, First ASLEF Young Workers’ Forum 6 in future, we are in a TTIP or CETA type trade deal 14 these are the tactics big companies use to Paddington Bear really hates marmalade 7 challenge governments to the detriment of the Andy Botham on ‘one under’ on 5 Live 8 needs of the people and communities concerned. That resonates very loudly to me with all the Brexit talk about sovereignty. The government is considering re-opening Features lines closed by Beeching which, naturally, we would, in normal circumstances, welcome. But this Kerry Cassidy reports from the ITF women 10 15 re-announcement was really made to mask the transport workers’ conference in Marrakech failure of Virgin Stagecoach on the East Coast – the third time a train operating company has had to Uber, Amazon and Deliveroo: Gregor Gall 11 hand back the keys or go cap in hand to the lifts the lid on bogus self-employment government. Difficult after the success on the Shadow Rail Minister Rachael Maskell 12-13 same line as publicly-owned Directly Operated talks about transport, health and Brexit Rail and the millions of pounds returned to the Treasury! So from 2020 it will be a private-public Bill Dale reports from the RMS annual 14 partnership letting Virgin Stagecoach off general meeting in Peterborough 16 contractual payments of millions of pounds. Why ASLEF in action at London Labour; RMS 15 don’t they admit it’s dogma – and the model has weekend forum at Low Hall, Scalby failed? How many more companies will be going back cap in hand on the back of this? A lot has been made recently of drivers’ pay; shame it’s not reported that it’s been earned by Regulars productivity and flexibility over the past two decades. So while we do not do the politics of Branch News and 100 Years of Union 16-17 envy it’s worth noting that more than 70 people at Obituaries 18-19 Network Rail earn more than the Prime Minister. How many more earn more than train drivers? Letters and Classified Advertisements 20-21 That neatly takes us onto directors’ pay which Last Word: Red Star Over Russia – a 22 often contains share options and bonuses. We openly show what we earn so I would like to see revolution in visual culture at Tate Modern all the share options and bonuses as well as the 22 On Track, Prize Crossword, ASLEF’s 23 pay of managers and directors published – and Legal Services and Change of Address Cover photo by Andrew Wiard then we would have a true comparison of those who, serially and for poor performance, get rewarded against those of us routinely castigated. The ASLEF Journal is published every month by: Homelessness has increased 65% in seven years but on Christmas Day Euston station was ASLEF, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN Tel: 020 7324 2400 open to the homeless. Maybe as an industry we email: [email protected] website: www.aslef.org.uk could and should do more as the railway can be the hub of our communities. Happy New Year! EDITOR Mick Whelan l DESIGNER Michael Cronin l PRINTER TU Ink, 5 Wythburn Place, London, W1H 7BU Yours fraternally 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 Mick Whelan, general secretary 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 January 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 3 News While individual entire system, Failure of management senior managers especially given that have changed since management and the accident, the regulators have and regulation to blame culture at Tram shown themselves to Operations has not. be so poor at Drivers still fear their identifying risks.’ for Croydon tragedy job is at risk if they Finn added: ‘There report being tired is no evidence that HE 174 temporary loss of “lessons will be DO8 Finn Brennan and they will be the Guardian device, page Rail awareness of the learned” or the used in the disciplined for the interim system t Accident driving task during a familiar sound of the construction of reporting sick. used to monitor Investigation Branch period of low scapegoating of trams, then the ‘There is a serious drivers’ alertness, report into the workload, which individuals. Because deaths and most lack of co-ordination would have done derailment of a tram possibly caused the the RAIB report serious injuries could between TfL, who are anything to prevent at Sandilands in driver to micro-sleep’. makes clear that have been avoided. responsible for this terrible tragedy. south London on 9 ‘There needs to neither regulators ‘The management infrastructure, and Tram Operations November 2016, be a fundamental nor management culture at Tram Tram Operations, should be dealing which resulted in change in the way understood the Operations Ltd who operate the with the underlying seven deaths and that tram operating potential for such a meant drivers were system. The causes of fatigue dozens of injuries, companies are serious incident. afraid to report recommendation to among staff, by slams Tramlink managed and ‘From its mistakes or errors for install a tram recruiting enough management, backs regulated,’ said Finn inception, the fear of being protection system drivers to eliminate ASLEF’s call for Brennan, ASLEF’s Croydon Tramlink disciplined. The result that can the need for overtime investment in an organiser on system was treated was that the automatically apply working, and automatic braking Tramlink. ‘The loved as a “bus on rails”. If opportunity to learn brakes to a speeding developing a fair system, and ones of those killed the same standards lessons from vehicle is long culture that supports, concludes that the and injured deserve used for toughened previous incidents – overdue. TfL should rather than blames, most likely cause of to hear more than glass on main line or and avoid repeating commit to firm staff who are ill or the crash was ‘a the usual cliché that light rail vehicles was them – was missed. timescales for struggling to cope installation now – with shift working with no more delays. and the work/life Mick slams grayling’s ‘new’ strategy This should cover the balance.’ Mick Whelan has of jobs in this country, and nothing to help condemned the Transport build the homes young people so desperately tWEEtS oF thE MoNth Secretary’s new plans for need. It’s a typically vacuous set of proposals the rail network in Britain. from a man who doesn’t seem to know what Tonight I put country and ‘Chris Grayling has the he’s doing. All he is doing is reheating a few constituency before party and voted temerity to describe them old proposals. Where is the bold strategic with my principles to give parliament a as “bold plans to expand vision for rail – and integrated transport links – meaningful vote. the rail network” which in this country? And what has happened to Stephen hammond will “boost jobs and the Tory promises on electrification on which housing”. They will do he promptly reneged? We would be pleased David Davis your red line, your hill to GS Mick Whelan nothing of the sort. There to see the lines cut by Beeching restored. But die on, is really something. What is nothing bold about them, and they will do we need something more – and someone made you want to become an MP? ‘Great nothing to improve our transport better – to deliver the railway that people in question, I really wanted to fight hard so infrastructure, nothing to increase the number this country deserve.’ people can wank at work.’ Jess Phillips congratulations, Richard! QUotE… David Davis fighting for the God- given right to look at porn on ‘By almost any measure, the Richard Leonard (left), who was endorsed by company time and not get sacked.