ASLEF members will strike again on London Tramlink on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th of July.
Two weeks on from our first strikes on London Tramlink, there has still been no new offer from management to resolve the dispute. They understand clearly that with inflation at over 11% and no end in sight to price increases, an offer of just 3% means a real cut in the value of your wages.
As fuel and food costs keep rising and the energy bills are set to rise by more than another thousand pounds a year, 3% just won’t pay the bills.
Instead of trying to find ways to make progress, management have behaved in an aggressive and provocative way. Being rude to your employees is not the way to try to find a sensible compromise.
ASLEF will always be ready to talk and negotiate a solution. But management have to be ready to make a reasonable offer. Simply repeating the same old mantra about how hard up the company is just won’t wash when everyone knows that FirstGroup, who operate the Trams, are increasing their profits and returned £500 million to shareholders last year.
Why should staff accept just three per cent when First Group Chief Executive Mathew Gregory got £840,000 in pay and perks last year? More than most Tramlink employees will earn in their entire career with the company!
There was a great turnout and brilliant morale on the picket lines in June. The strikes on Wednesday and Thursday next week will be just as solid. And if there is no progress, we will announce further dates for action.
It is time for Tramlink management to see sense and make a fair offer on pay.
Comments