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Six-day commuter rail strike set to be called off
Dick Murray16 Sep 2009
Six days of rail strikes due to begin on Monday are expected to be called off.
The strikes would halt all National Express East Anglia services to and from Liverpool Street, which are used by 150,000 passengers a day. Leaders of Aslef, the train drivers' union, are in a crisis meeting this morning and are expected to accept a new pay deal.
Commuters suffered six days of strikes last month in a dispute involving the rail industry's three largest unions. The RMT and TSSA accepted an earlier deal but Aslef ordered an extra week of strikes beginning on Monday.
Under a two-year pay deal there will be a guaranteed 3.5 per cent increase and a further 0.5 per cent depending on productivity.
NXEA drivers currently earn just over £41,000. Aslef has 800 drivers working for NXEA and next week's walkout would have crippled services on routes including those from Colchester, Peterborough and Southend Victoria.
Andrew Chivers, NXEA managing director, called on Aslef to accept the deal saying passengers "have suffered enough" from "unrealistic" strikes.
Reader views (15)
When you were given your jobs it was your choice, if you didn't factor in the commute your fault, not mine. If you haven't had a pay rise in a million years your employers fault, not mine.
Just read your own comments. It is obvious from these you don't like your jobs, Take your own advise and leave and get another one. May I suggest one where you don't have to use the trains. The world will still function without you, it did in the last strike, but obviously it will grind to a halt without me having 6 days unpaid leave.
With that I'm off to spend my £100,000 pa pay rise to push a few buttons and pull a lever, and maybe I will stop to pick up some jelious commuters, only if the distant is off. As you are all train drivers here and able to do my job you will understand the final comment,if not shut up.
All the best.
- Nxea Train Driver, NX East anglia, 17/09/2009 07:57
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This is another embarrassing British phenomenon. I do not understand how there can be strikes for pay and work condition every year by the same group of people. These company should train drivers at nominal fee but with a bond to serve the company for at least 5 years at define wages. When there is a large cohort of trained drivers, those who are not happy at work can pack and go instead of holding the public at ransom.
- Tohk, London, 16/09/2009 22:01
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1 Bob Crow has nothing to do with this strike (R.M.T)Divers who have been on strike are aslef.Keith norman not herad of him thought not
2 you all seem to think its about money , it not its about working conditons. we was offerd 4%with strings which was turn down. we have settled for 3.5% no strings less of a pay rise then 1st offerd, so not about money so before you all moan get your facts right 1st and dont belive what nxea put out . nxea are not saying we have settled for less money, i wonder why, and if you have to get up at the crack of dawn to catch the train the train driver has had to get up even early as thay are all ready at work, if you want a train drivers job contact nxea and see how far you get , now i look forward to my payrise which should take my pay to 42k if the press is to be belived
- So Called Whinging Driver, romford essex, 16/09/2009 19:07
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Good gracious Rob of london. I'd re apply for my own job if I was promised 30k a year. Why does everybody assume that every grade of driver gets paid the same? And why also does everybody assume it's wrong to fight for more pay just because they chose not to? You were threatened with job cuts? NX laid off several staff a while back too and they'd lay off drivers and guards as well if they could but just look at all of the services they're cancelling already because they're so short staffed, (they are the ones listed as operating incidents on their web site). Just realise that we are paid a rate for the job we do in the same way as you are. As a company we are still the 4th worst paid of all the TOCs. Even our highest paid drivers are still over £7000 per annum below the best paid drivers. Finally, please don't believe the hype about £41,000pa. This is way off the truth. Anyway, I'd just like to wish everybody who's going to apply for this easy, well paid job all the best. Hopefully I can give you a wave on the way to London one day!
- Depotdriver, Norwich, 16/09/2009 17:53
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Some of the comments on here are shamefull. If you think its so easy why not apply yoursef? If you work in London whos fault is that? It certainly isnt the train drivers fault.
We maybe in a reccession but rail travel as seen great growth interms of passenger numbers and investment.
And no, Im NOT a train driver!
- Anon, Essex, 16/09/2009 15:55
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Ric, the fact is your job *is* easy.
Please, train drivers, stop saying how difficult your job is: all you have to do is pull a lever and push a button. Simple.
If you had to a job that required high levels of mental ability I doubt you'd last a day.
Harsh, but true. And given the inconvenience and stress you and your like have caused due to sheer greed, it's time you had a few home truths.
Are you really worth twice what a nurse gets?
You should be thankful for what you have rather than striking out of a misplaced sense of entitlement.
- Matthew, Cheshunt, 16/09/2009 15:27
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£41k i wish ,as a driver i do not earn anything like 41k,a lot less. you are given the wrong facts as normal.nxea drivers are one of the lowest paid drivers in the uk,fact.and all the people who think my job is easy money (41k)lol, come and join us, if you can pass all the test involved and up to 3 years training and a lifetime of assentments,all to make sure you, and up to 1000 passengers per train, get to your destination safely
- Ric, essex uk, 16/09/2009 14:40
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Those that can, do, and in this case they are! Strike action is only possible because of the likes of Bob Crow poisoning minds. He may put safety and fair pay & conditions as motivation but really everyone just wants an extra buck.
I'd like to see nurses strike during the winter season, but I guess they understand the meaning of responsibility.
We must all be jealous we too are not under the Crow's wing.
- Mason, Romford, Essex, 16/09/2009 13:57
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To all striking train drivers, get back in your trains and stop complaining. Has nobody drawn your attention to the fact that there is errr, a recession on? You are making commuters' lives a misery. As it is, I have to get up at the crack of dawn to drop my son off to nursery before I have to run for my train and then trudge into the City to do a full days' work - like so many other working mothers do every day. You are making our lives just that little bit more bloody difficult, so thanks for that. You should be grateful you have a job, unlike so many who have been made redundant. I have not had a pay rise since 2005 - would you like to swap jobs?? Yours sounds a hell of a lot less stressful than mine, and not a bad salary either!
Get real, and get back to work. If I was CEO of National Express, I'd have you all sacked and give your jobs to those more deserving, and more appreciative.
- Anon, Herts, 16/09/2009 13:26
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Oh well, more above inflation fare rises for " investment to the services" They are taken us for mugs.
- Grim Reaper, Hell, 16/09/2009 13:23
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When will these people wake up to the real world. They are paid very well for what they do and they should keep quiet and stop asking for more.
Living where I do and working in London, I am effectively being held to ransom by these people.
Having the ability to bring a rail company to a halt is just plain silly. If I acted like this in my job I would be out of the door with the chair still spinning and I am sure there are countless other people in the same situation.
Stop being so selfish and think about other people.
- Jon, Essex, UK, 16/09/2009 12:45
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A pay rise? What's one of those?
No wonder the rail fares keep going up when we have to pay the annual ransom that the RMT inflicts on passengers through its childish strike threats.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 16/09/2009 12:14
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£41000, seems quite a lot for being the guy just FOLLOWING THE RAILS ,so really there is no actual driving to be done! So now all they have to do is "Stop & Go" (and understand a few signals like umm, Stop and Go), now that £41000 really does sound a lot doesnt it where do i apply? Get back to work stop & trying to bring the country further down you should be ashamed of yourselves.!
- Rob, Colchester, Essex, 16/09/2009 11:51
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"NXEA drivers currently earn just over £41,000. Aslef has 800 drivers working for NXEA"
Get serious! these driver earn well over double the national average, lucky to have a job at all and on top of that want a 3.5% pay rise!
- Rob, london, 16/09/2009 10:57
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In this climate where we are in a recession and have either very low inflation or deflation and rising unemployment, this kind of strike action will cause significant economical damage, a significant drop on economic output.
£41k for driving a train, that is significantly more than highly trained nurses, teachers etc. It is approaching twice the average salary.
To all National Express rail stuff, drivers especially, get over it, you don't know how good you've got it, I know hundreds of people that would love that kind of salary.
To the management, sack the lot of them and offer £30k + training to a whole new load of recruits, I bet you'll have many many thousands of people applying.
- Gary, Essex, UK, 16/09/2009 10:41
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