ATW Drivers Strike

[alb1]

Following on from the rumblings regarding an ASLEF strike a month or so ago, RMT have now announced strike dates next week.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/arriva-trains-wales-drivers-strike-10266010

Train passengers in Wales face significant disruption next week after members of a union announced a walkout in a dispute over pay.

RMT drivers on Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) will go on strike for 48 hours on Thursday and Friday, October 22 and 23.

The union has accused ATW of “dragging its heels” over a revised pay offer, but ATW says it was "disappointed" with the decision.

At a meeting with the company RMT says it was verbally advised that if it agreed to new productivity negotiations the company would consider revising the first-year element of their original pay offer.

RMT also claims since that meeting no formal offer has been received – and, to force the company to take the matter seriously, the union’s executive committee has called on ATW train driver members to take action....

Anyone know how badly this is likely to affect the network? Will it be as disruptive as the FGW strike was, in terms of what can still run?

 

[Carlisle]

I'd have thought most drivers would be members of ASLEF so if it only concerns RMT drivers it probably won't have a very major impact on services if it goes ahead

 

[Llanigraham]

I suppose that depends on how many members there are at any particular Depot.
I'm concerned as I am supposed to be going to a medical that day!!

 

[PHILIPE]

This was posted on the ASLEF Website, so which union is it ?

"24 Sep 2015

ASLEF drivers at Arriva Trains Wales have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over pay. 92.1% of our members voted Yes, and 7.9% voted No, on a 78.2% turnout."

 

[Carlisle]

This was posted on the ASLEF Website, so which union is it ?

"24 Sep 2015

ASLEF drivers at Arriva Trains Wales have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over pay. 92.1% of our members voted Yes, and 7.9% voted No, on a 78.2% turnout."

Oh right , cheers for the info so sounds like if negotiations aren't successful it'll likely involve both unions then

 

[craigybagel]

It's both unions.

 

[headshot119]

It's both unions.

If it's both unions I take it most ATW services won't run?

Or will they have DSMs out (assuming DSMs aren't part of ASLEF or RMT)

 

[455driver]

I suppose that depends on how many members there are at any particular Depot.
I'm concerned as I am supposed to be going to a medical that day!!

I'm really sorry but found it quite funny that a signalman could have trouble getting to a medical because of a rail strike.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Or will they have DSMs out (assuming DSMs aren't part of ASLEF or RMT)

DSMs will have to work as they are a Management grade so unlikely to be in ASLEF.

 

[craigybagel]

I'm sure they'll be currently working on some kind of contingency plan. During the guards strike last year in North Wales a reduced service still ran using managers, although that particular strike only had 3 depots out.

 

[notadriver]

What kind of contingency plan ? They managed to run a good FGW service on strike days by quickly training up 'managers' to guard trains. I don't think that will work with drivers somehow ....

 

[ComUtoR]

Our Driver Managers all hold a license to drive a train.

 

[craigybagel]

Our Driver Managers all hold a license to drive a train.

As do ours.

What kind of contingency plan ? They managed to run a good FGW service on strike days by quickly training up 'managers' to guard trains. I don't think that will work with drivers somehow ....

Indeed I doubt it would be anywhere near as comprehensive as what FGW managed. I'm just assuming based on previous experience that they'll be working out where best to use their limited supply of drivers. But hopefully it wont come to that anyway.

 

[notadriver]

Our Driver Managers all hold a license to drive a train.

There's at most 4 per depot.

 

[atw driver]

Driver managers at atw are not allowed to drive trains
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

where's that yahoo who doubted me when I posted about this week's ago​

 

[headshot119]

Driver managers at atw are not allowed to drive trains
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

where's that yahoo who doubted me when I posted about this week's ago​

I'll wait for someone else to confirm it, but I'm fairly sure I know a couple of ATW Driver Managers who regularly drive to keep up route knowledge etc. And what would the point of them holding licenses if they aren't allowed to drive!

 

[craigybagel]

I'll wait for someone else to confirm it, but I'm fairly sure I know a couple of ATW Driver Managers who regularly drive to keep up route knowledge etc. And what would the point of them holding licenses if they aren't allowed to drive!

atw driver really is what their name suggests - you can trust that they know more about the driving grade at ATW than I do.

 

[headshot119]

atw driver really is what their name suggests - you can trust that they know more about the driving grade at ATW than I do.

Fair enough mate, the low post count caused my cynical side to kick in

 

[455driver]

Indeed I doubt it would be anywhere near as comprehensive as what FGW managed. I'm just assuming based on previous experience that they'll be working out where best to use their limited supply of drivers. But hopefully it wont come to that anyway.

The FGW/GWR dispute is between the guards and Company, FGW/GWR trained* every available person in guards duties which wouldnt be an option in this drivers dispute.

* trained in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Edit-
Our DSMs are only allowed to drive if the rostered driver is also on the train, the DSMs cannot cover an uncovered job etc.

 

[Flying Snail]

The FGW/GWR dispute is between the guards and Company, FGW/GWR trained* every available person in guards duties which wouldnt be an option in this drivers dispute.

* trained in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Edit-
Our DSMs are only allowed to drive if the rostered driver is also on the train, the DSMs cannot cover an uncovered job etc.

Is that because they lack competency/knowledge or is it just an agreed working practice?

If the latter would it still apply if the driving grade were on strike?

Just to add that IMO it is little more than a hypothetical scenario anyway as the small number of managers able to cover driving duties would make running a useful service practically impossible. Running a sporadic skeleton service is worse than nothing as if any service is advertised you will get a very large number trying to use it.

 

[Carlisle]

Is that because they lack competency/knowledge or is it just an agreed working practice?

If the latter would it still apply if the driving grade were on strike?

Just to add that IMO it is little more than a hypothetical scenario anyway as the small number of managers able to cover driving duties would make running a useful service practically impossible. Running a sporadic skeleton service is worse than nothing as if any service is advertised you will get a very large number trying to use it.

I think you've pretty much summed the likely situation up perfectly if a strike does actually take place

 

[A-driver]

Most companies only allow managers to drive if the driver is also present to stop managers being used instead of recruiting enough drivers. It's part a union agreement and partly to prevent the managers not being able to do their jobs because they are covering turn everyday. Obviously it's also impractical as if a manager is driving a train alone and gets called to an incident they can't just abandon that train so the actual driver is required to take over in such an event

During strikes all competent managers not in the striking union will be made to drive on an amended timetable. During strike action those agreements obviously are not held.

Lots of slow moving trains that day as the managers try to remember how to drive and where they are!

 

[PHILIPE]

Strike suspended. No further details at present. Announced by ATW Twitter.
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It is ASLEF who have suspended action to allow further talks to continue. RMT have not yet said anything re their action.

 

[atw driver]

Following talks between mickwhelan and atw the strike is temporarily suspended

 

[ainsworth74]

So ASLEF are off for the time being but RMT are still going ahead?

 

[PHILIPE]

So ASLEF are off for the time being but RMT are still going ahead?

The last I heard was that RMT hadn't said anything but many queries on ATW Twitter and the Company replying that there is no strike.

 

[ainsworth74]

The last I heard was that RMT hadn't said anything but many queries on ATW Twitter and the Company replying that there is no strike.

Well that's hopeful

 

[TDK]

So ASLEF are off for the time being but RMT are still going ahead?

The ballot was originally for ASLEF members and I am not certain whether there was a ballot for RMT members. Possibly the RMT jumping on the band wagon.

 

[ainsworth74]

The ballot was originally for ASLEF members and I am not certain whether there was a ballot for RMT members. Possibly the RMT jumping on the band wagon.

Oh interesting, thanks for the information.

 

[Llanigraham]

I thought by Law there had to be a ballot before a strike could be called?

 

[craigybagel]

According to an email RMT sent out, they held a ballot as well.