The ASLEF Executive Committee has given Tram Operations Ltd. notice that our members will strike for 24 hours on Monday Nov 13th and Wednesday December 6th.

This is because the company has put into tram cabs a device that shines infra-red light beams into drivers faces and has insisted on operating this system despite the numerous health and safety concerns of our members. Drivers have reported symptoms from headaches and dry eyes to blurred vision and potentially serious eye damage as a result of exposure to this device.

ASLEF wants to see a modern automatic tram protection system installed that would stop a vehicle if it was over speeding or if the driver became incapacitated.

This system does neither. Instead of making the tram network safer its puts the health of drivers at risk and does nothing to prevent accidents in the future.

Only an automatic tram protection system could have prevented an accident like the tragedy at Sandilands.

Instead of dealing with the underlying issues in its safety culture, First Group, which operates the tram service, is ignoring the concerns of its drivers. ASLEF want the introduction of this system halted until all the safety concerns of our members have been addressed.