ASLEF Subs

[221129]

Isn’t labelling non-striking workers ‘scabs’ a form of bullying?

I can understand the differing viewpoints and and why union members might feel frustrated but does that justify name-calling and ostracism?

No one will say it to your face but you'll be made an outsider for sure.

 

[theking]

Privatisation began in 1994 and ended in 1997. Since then we have had 13 years of Labour, 5 years of Coalition and 7 years of Conservative Government.

Since privatisation - particularly over the past decade - driver pay has substantially increased; drivers at the highest paying TOCs are now in the top 10% of earners - with a bit of overtime we're pushing into the fabled 5%. Hand in hand with this we've seen T&Cs either maintained or improved, be it our pensions, working week, or various other allowances.

The overwhelming majority of these increases have been...under coalition or Conservative governments.

It does beg the question what political influence are we actually buying with our 'sponsored' Labour MPs? In reality, of course, the answer is close to none. Indeed, the chair of the ASLEF 'group', Kelvin Hopkins, is not standing for re-election and I'm not even convinced ASLEF itself puts too much emphasis on its Parliamentary influence, as one of the MPs listed on the website as being part of the group, Dave Anderson, stood down in 2017.

The excellent pay and T&Cs we enjoy is because the Union knows the industry; it knows how and most importantly when to squeeze management to extract the most generous terms for its members, as well as promote the role as a highly skilled and professional one, deserving of recognition as such. This is nothing to do with Parliamentary influence, and all to do with the work put in by front-line reps.

I'll happily pay whatever I do to fund the work ASLEF puts in for me and my colleagues. I would consider industrial action in suitable circumstances. I have no interest whatsoever in propping up the Labour Party.

Exactly this.

The pay increases and terms and conditions have zero to do with Aslefs Labour support.

I begrudgingly pay my subs knowing they go to head office let alone the Labour party.

Its supply and demand and market forces and the fact that the tocs are private companies.

People compare it to bus driver pay and go well you are so highly paid because of Aslef. No it's because you can't join off the street and be out on a route within two weeks.

The funny thing is if comrade Corybn and his socialist chums get in the train driver grade will be one of the hardest hit. Say goodbye to your brass and pension and you'll be in the top rate tax band within a year.
Also you think there will be pay rises under government ownership I can see the daily mirror already.

50k train drivers get pay rise while nurses use food banks.

Turkeys voting for Christmas.

 

[43066]

Exactly this.

The pay increases and terms and conditions have zero to do with Aslefs Labour support.

I begrudgingly pay my subs knowing they go to head office let alone the Labour party.

Its supply and demand and market forces and the fact that the tocs are private companies.

People compare it to bus driver pay and go well you are so highly paid because of Aslef. No it's because you can't join off the street and be out on a route within two weeks.

The funny thing is if comrade Corybn and his socialist chums get in the train driver grade will be one of the hardest hit. Say goodbye to your brass and pension and you'll be in the top rate tax band within a year.
Also you think there will be pay rises under government ownership I can see the daily mirror already.

50k train drivers get pay rise while nurses use food banks.

Turkeys voting for Christmas.

I couldn’t agree more with this post, and the post you quoted. The views outlined above are fairly common within the driver grade, in my experience, at least amongst those of us who realise which side our bread is buttered.

Opting out of the political levy is the only way to go, in my view.

 

[Eccles1983]

Exactly this.

The pay increases and terms and conditions have zero to do with Aslefs Labour support.

I begrudgingly pay my subs knowing they go to head office let alone the Labour party.

Its supply and demand and market forces and the fact that the tocs are private companies.

People compare it to bus driver pay and go well you are so highly paid because of Aslef. No it's because you can't join off the street and be out on a route within two weeks.

The funny thing is if comrade Corybn and his socialist chums get in the train driver grade will be one of the hardest hit. Say goodbye to your brass and pension and you'll be in the top rate tax band within a year.
Also you think there will be pay rises under government ownership I can see the daily mirror already.

50k train drivers get pay rise while nurses use food banks.

Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Why would brass and pensions be effected? Have you anything to suggest this is true or just made up.

And 50k and getting taxed more? Again, have you read any manifesto?

Talking of turkeys voting for Christmas - guess what has been announced as a policy - an outright attack on the trade unions. The trusty tories own that one.

And after that has been accomplished then what's stopping them going after more such as working time directives and pensions?

Do you think the Tories are going to stand by and allow workers to "cripple London/Manchester etc' with pesky industrial action?

Never mind voting for it - you'll be self basting yourselves.

 

[irish_rail]

Exactly this.

The pay increases and terms and conditions have zero to do with Aslefs Labour support.

I begrudgingly pay my subs knowing they go to head office let alone the Labour party.

Its supply and demand and market forces and the fact that the tocs are private companies.

People compare it to bus driver pay and go well you are so highly paid because of Aslef. No it's because you can't join off the street and be out on a route within two weeks.

The funny thing is if comrade Corybn and his socialist chums get in the train driver grade will be one of the hardest hit. Say goodbye to your brass and pension and you'll be in the top rate tax band within a year.
Also you think there will be pay rises under government ownership I can see the daily mirror already.

50k train drivers get pay rise while nurses use food banks.

Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Wtf!? Turkeys voting for Christmas is any train driver who votes for Boris! Labour plan to up tax on those earning over 80k which is no train driver. And frankly if I did earn over 80k I'd happily pay a fairer share of tax.
I'd rather pay a little more tax under Labour than have my rights destroyed by Boris, a man who attempted to champion driverless trains on the tube, though thankfully he was thrawted on that particular crusade.
My only hope is that if Boris does get in, and he will, that he continues to be so utterly useless at delivering on his promises and policies.......

 

[43066]

Wtf!? Turkeys voting for Christmas is any train driver who votes for Boris! Labour plan to up tax on those earning over 80k which is no train driver. And frankly if I did earn over 80k I'd happily pay a fairer share of tax.
I'd rather pay a little more tax under Labour than have my rights destroyed by Boris, a man who attempted to champion driverless trains on the tube, though thankfully he was thrawted on that particular crusade.
My only hope is that if Boris does get in, and he will, that he continues to be so utterly useless at delivering on his promises and policies.......

Plenty of train drivers earn £80k plus, with overtime (and not very much overtime if they’re employed by Eurostar).

Many london TOC’s pay £60k plus as a basic salary, and circa £500 per day for a rest day.

Sorry, but anyone who thinks a Corbyn led government would be beneficial to people earning £60k - £80K+ is delusional.

 

[387star]

Wtf!? Turkeys voting for Christmas is any train driver who votes for Boris! Labour plan to up tax on those earning over 80k which is no train driver. And frankly if I did earn over 80k I'd happily pay a fairer share of tax.
I'd rather pay a little more tax under Labour than have my rights destroyed by Boris, a man who attempted to champion driverless trains on the tube, though thankfully he was thrawted on that particular crusade.
My only hope is that if Boris does get in, and he will, that he continues to be so utterly useless at delivering on his promises and policies.......

Excellent post

 

[Eccles1983]

Plenty of train drivers earn £80k plus, with overtime (and not very much overtime if they’re employed by Eurostar).

Many london TOC’s pay £60k plus as a basic salary, and circa £500 per day for a rest day.

Sorry, but anyone who thinks a Corbyn led government would be beneficial to people earning £60k - £80K+ is delusional.

Not nearly as deluded in thinking the Tories are going to be beneficial for anyone unfortunate enough not to earn 100k+

And the vast majority of train drivers don't get near 80k.

 

[sw1ller]

I’m ex military so I hate Corbyn as much as the next Tory , but I’d sooner vote him in than let this absolute Sitstorm of a government carry on. I’d never vote Tory and I think if you are earning less that £2M a year and think a vote for Boris is a good idea, then it’s you that’s delusional.

 

[43066]

Excellent post

You seriously think people earning £60k plus will benefit from a Labour government?

I have never heard such delusional nonsense than when I was recently in an ASLEF branch meeting, urged to vote Labour, and informed that renationalisation of the National network is a priority of the union. No thank you!

Plump, bloody stupid, turkeys voting for Christmas indeed.

 

[irish_rail]

You seriously think people earning £60k plus will benefit from a Labour government?

I have never heard such delusional nonsense than when I was recently in an ASLEF branch meeting, urged to vote Labour, and informed that renationalisation of the National network is a priority of the union. No thank you!

Plump, bloody stupid, turkeys voting for Christmas indeed.

This is whats wrong with society. Valuing money above all else. I'm alright jack.
Christ, what has the world come to when certain people can be so incredibly insular and greedy that there only concern at a general election is how well they will profit from it. If you are a train driver, like me, you are already incredibly well paid and should maybe be a bit more grateful for what you have.
You are probably also one of these who moan about the foreign aid budget and hate that we give money to poor EU countries, but I for one am proud that we do! It's called sharing wealth, and the fact you seem so anti sharing in your good fortune says alot.
Under Boris, train drivers are at threat. FACT. If you think he is happy that poorly educated but ,hard working people should earn anything like what we do then you are deluded. He will destroy the unions and any power we have, along with his idiot mate Nigel.

 

[SMR]

This is whats wrong with society. Valuing money above all else. I'm alright jack.
Christ, what has the world come to when certain people can be so incredibly insular and greedy that there only concern at a general election is how well they will profit from it. If you are a train driver, like me, you are already incredibly well paid and should maybe be a bit more grateful for what you have.
You are probably also one of these who moan about the foreign aid budget and hate that we give money to poor EU countries, but I for one am proud that we do! It's called sharing wealth, and the fact you seem so anti sharing in your good fortune says alot.
Under Boris, train drivers are at threat. FACT. If you think he is happy that poorly educated but ,hard working people should earn anything like what we do then you are deluded. He will destroy the unions and any power we have, along with his idiot mate Nigel.

I seriously couldnt agree more with every word you've said.
To say any rail worker is better off voting for Boris is a complete and utter joke. Bojo, Rees-Mogg and co will DESTROY workers rights. Once in power, and they will be reading some of the unbelievable posts on here, they will decimate the power of unions. No more big pay increases for drivers then.

 

[387star]

Have a read of this article from The Guardian which is the best paper in the land !

Why can we no longer believe in a well-run welfare state that supports us all?

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...bour-manifesto-well-run-welfare-state-support

I don't work overtime as a rule and if I earn 80k and face more tax so what. I'd rather live in a world where everyone benefits rather than the few. My sister is Autistic so I know how important the welfare state is. Austerity was always only a choice.

Crucially in this context Labour support trade unions ! Tories want to wreck them and do a toxic deal with Trump.

 

[ainsworth74]

We've wandered way off the original subject of this thread and fully into the realms of politics. If anyone has questions about joining ASLEF, ASLEF subscriptions or similar questions related to Union membership I would suggest it is time to draw a line under this thread and start a new one for those questions. This one has run its course.

Members are welcome to discuss politics (and indeed we have some very active threads on the subject, is there an election or something on? ) in the General Discussion area of the Forum.

Thanks!