LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
JANUARY 1989
BATTERSEA BRANCH
There has not been any reports from Battersea Branch for quite a long period although we are an active Branch, so I thought I would write these few lines before I retire from the service. As many of you know I have been Secretary for quite a long while, a position that I have been proud to serve. I know that many of our members and dependants have been glad to be assisted by Branch and its Officer.
We have seen many changes over the years, alas not all for the better inspire of so called “Modernisation” . Gone are the genuine Railway Managers in its place we get individuals who haven’t got the faintest idea of how a Railway works, they have a degree of some sort, and only see it as a business, in the main they are not prepared to listen to experienced Railwaymen on the Shop Floor, as this would mean getting involved with those who are members of a Trade Union, and this must not happen in this country.
It may seem that I retire as a very bitter Railwayman, maybe this is true, but I know that I am not alone in these thoughts.
We are in an era of the stealing of an excellent industry, by those who are out to line their pockets, cut backs within the industry cause more chaos on the roads, hence more revenue from petrol etc.
Those who prefer to travel by train are hit by the costs of the travel, or else trains are subject to cancellation due to shortage of train crews, this would not have happened if on the closure of steam depots the experienced fireman had not been disposed with, they were the future drivers, their grade was not retained. It is held in some quarters that a man can be trained to drive a train in a very short period, this may be so, but there is a bit more to driving train than starting and stopping, the future will tell the price of this venture.
Regretfully some of our members have jumped on the Band Wagon of shortage of drivers and are doing our Conditions of Service no good whatsoever, they will find these High Wages and Hour quoted by their Masters in the not too distant future.
I close now with all good wishes to the Society, its Officers and Head Office Staff, and farewell to all of you I have been proud to know during my journey on the “Permanent Way”.
R. WEEKS
Railway accidents on British Railways
Southern Region
Central Division
LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
MARCH 1989
TIME TO PAY UP
The Society was on the verge of presenting the 1989 pay claim to British Rail as the Journal went to press. It is almost certainly the last pay rise on British Rail under the present Machinery of Negotiation.
The Society is looking for a substantial percentage increase for all members. The B.R. Director of Employee Relations is quoted in the press as saying he won't offer even the rate of inflation currently running at 7.5%, the highest for 6 years.
Wage rates have still not been discussed with London Underground. Tyne and Wear have made an initial offer of 5% without strings.
British Rail's attitude is all the more remarkable because there is a desperate shortage of fully-trained drivers virtually through- out the country. British Rail is in the position where, having spent two years and £25,000 training a driver, they offer a basic wage of £155 a week, and wonder why there is now a growing number taking early retirement or resigning for better paid jobs without the shift work and without the responsibility.
The introduction or attendance and performance related pay for some British Rail staff working in some parts of the South East has caused some resentment from staff who do not get the payments. BR claims it introduced the extra payments because of problems recruiting and retaining people in the South East.
In fact the Board's claims about having greater problem, recruiting and retaining staff in the South East are bogus as far as drivers are concerned. More drivers are retiring or resigning outside the South East as in it. British rail know this because they supplied us with the figures to prove it!
Record number, of Rest Days are being worked. A record level of overtime is being worked, If members want a decent pay rise this year they will have to light for it. But vou don't get something for nothing and we may have to nail British Rail to the wall before we get a decent rise.
If this is the case then we must be flexible in any industrial action, and to disrupt members as little as possible and to disrupt passengers as little as possible. We will have to be a little more creative and subtle about industrial action than we have been in the past.
This is probably our last chance at a decent pay rise, the present Machinery may not be in existence this time next year. Do not over estimate the Board's strength, and do not under -estimate your own.
What it boils down to is this: what are you willing to do to help your union get you what you deserve? You are the ones whose views matter. Give us the backing and we will give you the leadership.
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B.R. TO SCRAP SAFETY REPS.SWEEPING CHANGES ARE PLANNED
The structure for dealing with local and health and safety matters will be swept away if British Rail forces through its proposed changes to the current consultative and negotiating machinery. British Rail has given notice to the unions that the current methods of negotiating and consultation over a range of matters including health and safety will be terminated on 31st October 1989.
British Rail want to end national bargaining, and impose area rates of pay. and even possibly depot rates of pay. It is the greatest challenge to our terms and conditions of employment for at least a generation.
This move is likely to cause a storm of protest amongst all rail staff. and particularly from Drivers who arc at the "sharp end" of the industry. It is part of a move to destroy the forms of industrial democracy and industrial relations built up in the industry over the years. The first line of attack is on the number of local representatives. the first line of defence that individuals have against the employer.
"From the very sketchy outline they have given of what they want in place of the present set-up, there is no provision for local health and safety representatives and there has made no mention of a future role for them" said ASLEF General Secretary Neil Milligan.
"British Rail has no plans or ideas about how it will deal with Health and Safety matters. They have simply not thought it through. The Director of Employee Relations does not think the future Health and Safety set-up should be discussed at Board level" he said.
"Although national and area level meetings on Health and Safety matters would take place. no provision is made for local Health and Safety representatives. As far as local health and safety matters are concerned, British Rail will leave a vacuum." British Rail want to axe Local Departmental Committees and Sectional Councils.
Under the original changes proposed made in February 1988, it was stated that "local representatives may act as safety representatives."
These proposals included provision for the discussion of health and safety matters at local. area and national level.
On 1st November 1988, however, the· Board withdrew these proposals and said they wanted a two-tier system at area and national level. British Rail has made a commitment that Health and Safety will be discussed at area level. all local level consultation and negotiation with the staff would be very limited. if provided for at all under the present proposals.
The changes at local level could be devastating. Not only could health and safety go out the window, but with only one local ASLEF representative. individual drivers could have no one 10 turn to when the heat is on. Having only one representative in a 24hour industry would certainly lead to this happening.
There will be no right of "appear· to a Sectional Council. as they will not exist under future
plans.
Although hailed by management as "streamlining," the principal aim is to destroy the grass roots of railway trade unionism. It is naked union-bashing. and if they ever get the union out of the way, you will all be targets tomorrow.
These proposals have even caused splits within British Rail management. from area manager level to the Board itself.
One area manager told the Journal: "I have spoken with other area managers, and we do not think they know what they are doing. The railway cannot function without local represent- atives to solve problems. I can see a lot of unofficial action if this goes through."
General Secretary Neil Milligan said: "British Rail still fear ASLEF: They fear us for our
knowledge. our organisation, and the strength and integrity of our individual members.
"If we do not fight these changes. every one of you will be exposed to the whims of management.
MINUTES OF SPECIAL BRANCH MEETING
HELD ON SUNDAY MARCH 5th 1989
Branch Chairman opened the meeting by introducing the two speakers, Bro A. Stanton,
District Organiser, and Bro. J. Davis, E.C. Member of A.S.L.E. &F.
Bro. A. Stanton was given the floor as owing to the weekend rail accident at Purley he need
to get away to oversee events. He began by explaining the purpose of the meeting, having
been called and the two issues being discussed, the machinery of negotiation and the labour
supply South East Area. He gave a breakdown of the present machinery system and then on
the proposed new system, and went on to the fact that B.R. Board was about to be broken up
into new sections also the ending of L.D.C.s and Sectional Council’s as we know them and
ending up with possibility of only one area representative. One example of the new
machinery, was that if failing to reach an agreement, management would implement their
decision after 14 days, he went on to explain the importance of L.D.C.s and Sectional
Councils, and that some senior management have said there was a need for L.D.C.s but still
they are going ahead with their plans, he continued by asking members to talk to others
and that we were never so strong as we are today, a call for one week rest day and overtime
ban area by area, but within national and local rostering agreements. This campaign is a
national federation campaign and meetings were taking place up and down the country to
advise members of the situation. Thanking us for our time, he allowed time for questions
before having to leave.
Then Bro. J. Davis stood and began by firstly talking on the meeting that took place between t
he unions and B.R., the various levels of discussion and A.S.L.E & F. reply’s, it was noted
that Bro. Davis is on record as being opposed to any agreements,
and the lack of leadership, he urged us to lobby the E.C. into doing something more positive.
He then went on to the Labour Supply problem, here in the South and how management seam
prepared to have deals done in secret with individual depots in particular minder drivers, and
that deals like these will become the norm in the future, and depots would be against other
depots because of the earning powers they have. Bro. Davis urged members to go away and
seriously consider the long term effects of the B.R. proposals. He then answered questions.
Having answered many questions the meeting was closed.
The Brighton to London Bridge American Express train worked by Brighton driver Dave Knight (MLV No. 9004). On approaching the M25 over bridge at Merstham on the up Quarry line where the train was held up and it’s contents robbed.
Left - Right: Bedford Driver Phil Cherry & Brighton Dave Knight in Bedford Messroom
The 07.25 Tattenham Corner to London Bridge, on arriving at London Bridge collides with the buffer stops.
LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
MAY 1989
7% SORRY WRONG NUMBER
The Society has rejected a 7 per cent pay offer made by British Rail, Society representatives were set to meet British Rail to discuss the matter further when the Journal went lo press. The Executive Committee has also rejected a 7 per cent oiler made by London Underground with 9 per cent on London Weighting, with a common anniversary date in April.
The offers are below the rate of inflation, currently running at 7.9 per cent, the highest for 6 years. The Society is looking for a "substantial percentage increase" for all members.
Tyne and Wear have offered 7 per cent on basic pay and on guaranteed productivity bonuses. There will be a further 1.25 per cent of basic pay paid as a weekly non-enhanceable supple-ment which will be consolidated into basic pay next year if' there are improvements in existing levels of sickness absence.
There will also be talks on reducing the working week by one hour, to 39 hours, but this would have to be self-financing. Negotiations are continuing.
British Rail's attitude, with stupid comments to the press about not paying anything near the rate of inflation, is remarkable because there is a desperate shortage of fully-trained drivers virtually throughout the country.
British Rail is in the position where, having spent two years and £25,000 training a driver, they offer a basic wage of £155 a week, and wonder why there is now a growing number laking early retirement or resigning for better paid jobs without the shiftwork and without the responsibility.
London Underground has already seen two days of strike action over pay in the last month, with the possibility of more to come.
The introduction of attendance and performance-related pay for some British Rail staff working in some parts of the South East has caused resentment accompanied by threats of unofficial action from staff who do not get the payments. It is also becoming clear that these allowances are at the absolute discretion of' local managers, who can stop such payments if you do not say good morning with the correct amount of enthusiasm.
BR claims it introduced the extra payments because of problems recruiting and retaining people in the South East. BR claims these extra payments, paid to some of those who work within a 40 mile radius of Charing Cross, could ease the problem of staff shortage.
In fact the Board's claims about having greater problems recruiting and retaining staff in the South East are bogus as far as drivers are concerned. More drivers are retiring or resigning outside the South East than in it,British rail know this because they supplied us with the figures to prove it!
In a survey carried out by the Association of British Chambers of Commerce showed that
employers were finding it difficult to recruit people in almost every part of the country.
The worst areas, according to the survey, are West Midlands, Merseyside, London, Thames Valley, East Anglia, Wales and Greater Manchester. It appears that British Rail has simply not woken up to a problem that will hit them with a vengeance.
General Secretary Neil Milligan said: ASLEF members have lived on promises of jam tomorrow for the best part of 30 years. Now we have the power to make decent basic pay a reality.
Record numbers of Rest Days are being worked. A record level of overtime is being worked. If members want a decent pay rise this year they may have to fight for it.
But you don't get something for nothing and we may have to nail British Rail to the wall before we get a decent rise. Don't be in any doubt: we are the union that worries British Rail because any action of ours hits them where it hurts and where it is noticed.
"We may have to be flexible in any industrial action, to disrupt members and passengers as little as possible. We will have to be a little more creative and subtle about industrial action than we have been in the past.
This is a good opportunity to get a decent pay rise. Do not over- estimate the Board's strength, and do not underestimate your own.
What it boils down to is this: what are you willing to do to help your union get you what you deserve? You are the ones whose views matter.
Give us the backing and we will give you the leadership..
LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
JULY 1989
VOTE FOR ACTION
The 1956 Machinery of Negotation will be terminated by British Railways Board on 31st October 1989.
Proposals were submitted to the unions on 3rd February 1988 and then withdrawn at a meeting on 1st November. At the latter meeting, termination of machinery was intimated.
Society members are now being bombarded with letters, leaflets and offers of cosy chats by Area Managers and others to "sell" the Board's policy.
Yet the issues remain clouded - from the Board's hard-line policy in 1988 to their more subtle and unclear response faced with our impending ballot on forms of industrial action involving a ban on rest-day working and voluntary overtime.
We believe the Board's view is still clear and their intentions still ominous.
Your "nice" Area Manager will be telling you that the unions will not talk with them. Sir Robert Reid in his letter to the unions on 20th April 1989 stated: "I must emphasise to
you that the decision to delegate bargaining responsibility with the railway is a decision
that was taken by the Board in support of its policy of decentralised management of the. business.
"I am sure you understand that this is a matter for the Board alone to decide and that the subject will not be re-opened."
On 8th February 1989, Trevor Toolan, Managing Director, Personnel, put it this way in a
letter to the unions: " ... that the Board is not prepared to deal with the matter of future bargaining arrangements through meetings within existing Machineries..."
He goes on: "It follows that the Board would only be willing to have further discussions with you, in the absence of any functional discussions, on the clear understanding that the meeting is related to discussing the reality of what will happen following termination of the existing Machineries in October and is NOT being held within any of the existing.Machineries." The Wasters have decided! Do as you're told!
The Railways Board expose their own deceit and lies. The unions are prepared to talk - indeed, are willing to talk in the correct forum the Special Joint Committee set up to deal with machinery matters.
The Board said on 3rd February 1988 that one representative was sufficient for each Depot - with "maybe" one extra in a place such as Crewe. This one person could "perhaps also cover Health and Safety at Work as well!"
They are now saying in their propaganda campaign that they wish to "improve representation at local level and increase its effectiveness." How can a Machinery be "effective" when all local issues end at Area Manager's level and he can give 14 days notice and then implement change?
He is judge and jury in his own cause! lf one gets a "bad" decision on discipline, who sits
in final judgement? -- the Area Manager! He makes a decision on the basis of what his immediate under-Manager has decided. Is this "natural justice," British Rail-style, in 1989?
How can one person effectively represent groups of key staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year? Frankly, it's impossible!
This is apart from the fact that when a new person is elected he would have no negotiating experience and none of the advantages of continuity of the negotiating process. Nor would he have the benefits and wisdom derived from collective discussion and responsibility - he would be "on his own" and without a minder!
It is claimed by the Board - that they are not out to "scrap industry-wide bargaining."
Perhaps the current issue of Railnews is telling the truth when it states: "as part of the move to change the whole structure of bargaining and representation, the Board gave notice last November that the present 'across-the-board' system of negotiating pay and conditions would end 12 months later.
It goes on: "the move to decentralise the Machinery in this way will see the end of a bargaining system ...
Why does the key interviewee in this article tell untruths (Paul Watkinson is quoted as saying: "We have been trying to get the Trades Unions to talk about these proposals for six months") when his boss Trevor Toolan writes to the unions on 9th May (delivered by hand) and says: "We are still happy to listen to your views on the basic principles before we put forward detailed proposals ...?"
Mr Toolan is Managing Director, Personnel - and he's been saying all along: "The Trades Unions were advised that whilst an interface with
The Trades Unions through British Rail would remain and issues regarding pensions and safety could come through Board level, negotiations on pay and conditions and all other matters would not be held at Corporate level" (Minutes, 14th December 1988 meeting).
Perhaps the Press briefing issued by the Board on 1st November 1988 got it wrong when it said "most issues" would be dealt with at local and Area levels"?
Maybe Mr Toolan will now say that, when interviewed by Jimmy Burns (Financial Times, 27th January 1989), they also got it wrong when they put it this way: "also key to BR's re-organisation has been the introduction of more flexible forms of pay, which it expects to follow up towards the end of the year with further far- reaching (my italics) changes to the collective bargaining arrangements ..."
Surely "flexible forms of pay" means different pay scales - Inter-city pay, Provincial pay, Network SouthEast pay the latter already imposed in a limited form.
The Society's view is clear: the Machinery must not be thrown away without a struggle. Improve it, yes! Ditch it, no!
The Board do not want an effective Machinery of Negotiation, nor effective representatives at local level. No backward-looking employer does.
History will tell the truth and your Area Manager will tell you what he is told to tell you! He does not know. But he has an Information Pack prepared by the Board who want to walk away from national negotiations.
The sting is always in the tail when they say: "The Board will continue to hold ultimate accountability for the entire business but has delegated the key decision-making responsibilities - including the important one of employment matters - to its Business and Production Managers."
There can only be one understanding of what "ultimate accountability" means and that is: the Board will call the shots because they control the purse-strings and write the balance sheet. ·
In the forthcoming ballot you must support the Society and in so doing serve your own interests for the future.
VOTE "YES" ACTION" FOR
YOU"RE NOT ON!
British Rail's imposition of 7 per cent on basic rates of pay is A DENIAL OF SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS.
The increase is wholly unsatisfactory at a time when inflation is running at 8.3 per cent and rising!
We cannot allow the Society to be DICTATED to by Management on this most vital of all issues.
The 7 per cent offer was rejected by ASLEF with a request for further serious negotiations.
At a meeting of the Railway Staff National Council on 25th April, the B.R.B. declared they were not prepared to improve the offer.
They considered it to be fair in relation to the level of "unconditional settlements" and that it should be viewed as part of a package of measures which will affect pay to which the Board is already committed.
(i) Civil Engineering Trade Grades restructuring;
(ii) Traffic Grades restructuring;
(iii) Clerical restructuring;
(iv) S&T Grades review;
(v) Complete review of Supervisors' terms and conditions in all functions;
(vi) Review of South East pay and allowances;
(vii) A new package for 16-18 year olds and YTS review;
(viii) Review of Footplate structure and conditions.
The Board offered three other items which they claimed would improve the 7 per cent offer. They were prepared to:
(a) make a lump-sum payment of £90 to all staff currently paid in cash in return for a Trade Union agreement to them changing to four-weekly cashless payment.
A lump sum of £30 would be made to staff who have already accepted non-cash payment.
The present £3 per year payment in lieu of bank charges would be discontinued. New entrants are already paid through bank accounts as a matter of contract; a weekly payment option would be made available to them for the first six months of BR employment.
(b) Make changes in leave arrangements to make them more flexible
for the Board and the staff:
(i) The additional days associated with public holidays (two days wages. four days salaried) to be treated as annual leave and rank for annual leave premium. It would be the joint intention that, subject to business requirements, the equivalent leave days would continue to be taken to the maximum extent possible on days adjacent to public holidays.
(ii) Staff required to work on the eight defined public holidays would be paid in accordance with existing agreements plus an additional day's pay. THERE WOULD BE NO LIEU LEAVE.
(iii) Staff not required to work on public holidays who would otherwise be on a rest day or free day would receive a day's pay for that day (i.e. additional to their basic pay for the week) and there would be NO LIEU LEA VE.
(c) Review and make proposals relating to the arrangements for staff relocation subject to business needs in the context of both promotion and displacement.
Since 1979, rail staff numbers have been cut by 35 per cent and productivity has risen by 31 per cent. We believe that a high quality service requires a high quality staff paid high quality wages.
BR is offering second class rates of pay- and a second class railway.
Inflation is at its highest level for six-and-a-half years. We cannotallow the living standards of railway workers to be reduced further.
The fact is that low and uncompetitive pay rates permeate the BR structure from the bottom to the very top. The Board expect their staff to operate a high quality service on disgracefully inadequate levels of pay.
Train drivers are skilled workers. They must meet stringent medical standards and undergo intensive training. They are directly responsible for the safety of thousands of passengers.
Yet their basic rate of pay is not much more than some of the top range of labourer's rates. And they work long unsocial hours to earn their wages.
Long hours of overtime just to make ends meet is an unacceptable pay formula. It is the basic rate that counts and a 7 per cent rise in the basic rate is a PAY CUT.
Our BR members face high interest payments, mortgages. rate demands and household bills - just like everyone else.
It is an INSULT to expect them, at a time of record BR profits. increased levels of investment and targets met, to accept LESS THAN THE COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE.
British Rail must be told it is just NOT ON!
• •AS WE TOLD YOU BEFORE
Eastbourne Driver Malcolm Court waiting to depart from Seaford
LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
AUGUST 1989
B.R. STAND FORCES 8.8%
WELL DONE!
ASLEF called off its week-long ban on voluntary overtime and rest day working on 17 July following an 8.8 per cent "no strings" offer from British Rail.
Neil Milligan. general secretary, commented that management had been stopped in their tracks with a firm message from Society members that honest justified claims have to be reciprocated.
He noted that the travelling public despite being inconvenienced had supported this view.
Undoubtedly the strength of feeling of ASLEF members and the exceptional manner in which the industrial action had been administered and effectively carried out clearly determines credibility of our union.
"We are under no illusions that the message and effect of our actions forced the British Railways Board to recognise that they were dealing with a trade union whose claim was a genuine attempt to
improve the wages of our member grades with a realistic percentage." said Bro Milligan.
To settle anywhere below the rate of inflation would have been a worsening of conditions. I took some 25 hours of negotiations at RSNC level to get the final improvements on the 7 per cent wage award imposed unilaterally by the management and paid in the week ending 13th May.
This followed a walk-out by union representatives, led by Bros Terry Clarke (Aslef presid-
ent) and Milligan. on 11th July when British Rail astonishingly tried to impose conditions on the findings of the RSNT, which were as follows:
(In response to a reference by the Transport Salaried Staff Association).
"In our view, the exceptional productivity performance of this industry and its workers, and the co-operation displayed by the group in this reference towards restructuring, should properly be reflected in some real improvement in basic rates of pay.
"The data presented by the parties did not allow any precise monetary evaluation of the
appropriate size of any such reflection and. in any case, we could not set aside the direct financial and marketing constraints within which British Rail is operating.
In this context we took due note of the BRB's concern that its ability to pay would be severely undermined were there to be continued disruption to the business."
The RSNT continued:
"In all the circumstances we decided that: "With effect from 10th April 1989, the 1988/89 pay rates should be increased by 8.8 per cent for the staff covered by this reference."
As our sister union, the N.U.R., was involved in industrial action on BOTH wages and the Machinery of negotiation, any discussion on either issue had to be conducted simultaneously with the British Railways Board.
It was agreed to start talks at A.C.A.S. on the machinery at 10 a.m. on 11th July and to follow that with a meeting of the RSNC later the same day on pay.
Society policy is that the two issues arc separate.
British Rail's position at the R.S.N.C. was as follows:
• the 8.8 per cent to be paid to all staff as from the first day that the railway returned to normal operation.
• implementation to be conditional on trade union agreement that all staff currently paid in cash will change to payment four-weekly through a bank account from an early date.
The payment of £3 a year to staff paid through the bank to be discontinued and the previous offer of £30 or £90 lump sum related to cashless pay arrangements was withdrawn.
• Proposals related to South East pay were formally with-drawn to allow the position to be reviewed in the light of the R.S.N.T. decision.
When the new offer was put to ASLEF in writing on 12 July, it contained a number of changes.
The implementation date of 10th April was restored "on the understanding that there is an immediate return to normal working of the railway and that urgent and satisfactory progress continues with the discussions on the new Machineries."
The proposed levels of allowances for London and the South East were reintroduced with an effective date of 17 July as follows
Inner London £1,265 p.a. (£24.25 p.w.)
Outer London £570 p.a. (£I0.93 p.w.)
South East £250 p.a. (£4.80 p.w.)
(Further details of the London and South East allowances will be given in Locomotive Journal in September.)
The management sought acceptance of the offer by 14th July at the latest.
ASLEF sought a further meeting of the RSNC and told British Rail that the 8.8 per cent offer should be improved without any strings attached. This resumed meeting began on 14th July and continued into the early hours of 15th July.
British Rail then confirmed its position in a letter dated 15th July from Trevor Toolan. Director. Employee Relations. as follows:
"Further to my letter of 12th July. and confirming the position reached in today's discussion. the Board is prepared to implement for all staff within R.S.N.C. represented by your respect-ive trade unions the increase in rates of pay re- commended in R.S.T.N. Decision 96, as from 10th April 1989, on the understanding that there is an immediate return to normal working on the railway.
"May we repeat that the increase in rates of pay recommended in R.S.T.N. Decision No. 96 as from 10 April 1989 is an increase in basic rates of pay of 8.8 per cent."
On 17th July, ASLEFExecutive Committee accepted the 8.8 per cent wages offer in the light of the withdrawal of all strings and instructed a return to normal working forthwith.
Wages Ballot
The result of the ballot of British Rail members to authorise a ban on voluntary overtime and rest day working over wages resulted in an overwhelming "yes" vote as follows:
Ballot papers issued 16,909
Ballot papers returned 14.549
Spoilt papers nil
Votes in favour (YES) 12,837
Votes against (NO) 1,702
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Machinery talks grinding along
British Rail has agreed to extend its period of termination notice on the present Machineries of Negotiation by three months to 1st February 1990.
This was an additional concession achieved by ASLEF following the talks on the 8.8 per
cent wage offer.
As a result, moves to hold an immediate ballot to authorise a ban on voluntary overtime and rest day working now depend on satisfactory progress being maintained in the talks.
A crucial fact that could not be ignored was that the National Union of Railwaymen had initiated industrial action associating both wages and machinery. As a result, any discussion on either issue has had to be conducted simultaneously.
The talks on machinery are being held under the auspices of A.C.A.S.
The unions advised the British Railways Board that their first intention was to maintain a separate national bargaining body dealing with wages and conditions.
An eight-point agenda was compiled to guide discussions in an orderly and agreed manner. It contained the following:
(1) pay and pay determination
(2) basic conditions
(3) recognition of negotiating rights
(4) representation
(5) status quo
(6) arbitration and conciliation
(7) health and safety
(8) structure
It was considered by both sides that items (1) and (2) were the key items and progress on the remainder depended upon reaching some form of satisfactory conclusion on these two issues.
Discussions initially centred around pay and basic conditions.
Based on an initial draft set of proposals, discussions have resulted in the BRB taking away trade union views and preparing further draft papers.
The contents of the third draft paper is currently being reviewed and Trevor Toolan, B.R. Employee Relations Director, has been advised that a further meeting is to be arranged shortly.
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OIL CASH ROW IS A STINKER!
Stingy British Rail bosses are paid in the week ending 13th May. refusing to pay an ASLEF. driver £44.48 to replace his shoes, socks and jumper damaged saving them over £150!
Driver Braggs from Norwood M.T. Depot was working a train on 12th March 1987 when the mail fuel tank of his loco was fractured and diesel oil gushed out!
He plugged the hole. But his shoes, socks, jumper and B.R. issue shirt and trousers became drenched in the filthy smelly oil!
The pungent pong was so bad that the clothing could not be kept in his house and had to be burnt!
But if Driver Braggs had got a whiff of BR's Scrooge-like attitude, he might not have bothered going beyond the duties required of him!
His action in sealing the fracture saved 550 gallons of oil still in the half-full tank. This was B.R. money prevented from going down the drain!
Then when he claimed the replacement cost of his personal garments, BR offered only 50 per cent - saying the clothes were not new!
They have since increased the offer to £35 but no more. A pinch-penny bid to whip £9.48 off our member!
There is really only one word to describe such a management: "!!!!!!!!"
ASLEF executive have rejected the £35 offer and are writing to the General Manager, Southern Region, seeking the full amount.
BRIGHTON DRIVER
PHIL PLAINE
A MAN WHO COULD WALK ON WATER
Phil Plaine at the Brighton 2011 reunion
At the August Branch meeting held on the 3rd August 1989, the Brighton Branch made a
special presentation to recently retired branch member Phil Plaine who had taken early
retirement a few months earlier.
All through Phil's footplate career was spent at one of the Brighton Motive power Depots.
Phil had entered the footplate grades as a engine cleaner at Brighton on 11.10.1943. Phil
gained his be promotion through the footplate grades at Brighton to Engine driver. Phil later
decided to opt to go into the "Dual Link" at Brighton, which would see him later transferring
to Brighton Motorman's depot (E.M.U.T.) in 1962.
During Phil’s time at Brighton E.M.U.T. Phil served Brighton No.2 Branch Secretary 1965 ~
1972 and Brighton No. 2 Chairman. During the 1970s and up until 1988 was the L.D.C.
Secretary, H&S Rep 1971 ~ 1988 and Chairman of the A.S.L.E.F. Southern Region District
Council No.1. With the amalgamation of the two depots Phil was re-elected back on to the
L.D.C. and to the position of H&S rep. up until his retirement in the same year.
It was also claimed by a number of Brighton drivers, that Phil could "walk on water" because
he won almost all of his cases when representing fellow ASLEF members. Phil was also
known by some members as "Petrocelli" (a popular American lawyer on the television of that
time, Petrocelli too won all of his cases).
During Phil's period of time on the Brighton E.M.U.T., L.D.C. was to become known as the
P.L.O., being named after the terrorist organisation the Palestine Liberation Organization.
(the L.D.C. was formed of Phil Plaine, Norman Light, Freddie Locke & Laurie Osman)..
When Phil retired, he was to be the last member of his family to work on the railway within
the Brighton area. This ending a long family connection to the railway industry which can
traced back to the 1860s when the Plaine family had moved into the town.
At the 2011 Brighton & Sussex A.S.L.E.F. reunion, I asked Phil, if the claim that he could
walk on water was true or not? Phil just smiled and and started to chuckle to himself, and
there was no answer forth coming to my question. This claim will just become another a myth
of Brighton Branch of A.S.L.E.F.
LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
SEPTEMBER 1989
Think Again? on Machinery
Negotiations on a new Machinery of Negotiation are continuing under the A.C.A.S. umbrella.
There has been some progress since the British Rail Board withdrew from the position that "the matter was not for them" and we had to go and talk with the functions to create a new procedural agreement.
The functions are:
Operations 64,000 staff; groups including Train-crew, Terminal and Retail staff'.
Civil Engineering 28,000 staff.
Signal and Telegraph 8,500.
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering- 22,500.
Services 6,000.
It follows, of course, that ASLEF would only be at the Operations function.
In the course of the negotiations, it has been accepted that at National Conference level matters such as "pay reviews" would be negotiable along with pensions and retirement; sick pay; discipline; travel facilities; welfare and occupational health; advertising of vacancies; redundancy payments; equal opportunities; annual and public holiday leave; and London allowances.
All these matters seemed clear in the Document B paper of 14th July.
However, Mr Paul Watkinson in his letter to Area Managers and Depot Managers dated 20th
July appeared to be saying something different when he stated:
"This change (industry-wide talks at National Conference) does not alter the principles and objectives outlined in Facing the Future packs."
Does it not?
Then he goes on to say: "The National Conference would essentially be a coming together of Functional representatives from both sides and thus would not be a separate body with corporate status."
That is not a view acceptable to the unions, nor indeed the Society.
We see the National Conference as being responsible -- and with responsibilities -- and that its decisions are obligatory on lower bodies, except matters referred to the lower bodies for application or implementation. So BR think again!
It is also crucial when pay is talked about at National Conferenc level that there should be no dubiety about principle.
Paul Watkinson's letter of 21st August seems to be saying some- thing quite unpalatable when it states: "pay bargaining will follow the conventional path with both sides bringing forward their aspirations, the staff side for improvements in pay· and conditions and the management for employer benefits to be traded in return for those improvements."
STRINGS IN ADVANCE AND A BUILT-IN LEVEL OF EXISTENCE THAT CAN- NOT BE BENEFICIALLY CHANGED UNLESS YOU CAN '·TRADE" A CONDITION OR CONDITIONS!
The same ambiguity exists on the basic working week when it is accepted that it can only be changed at National Conference level. In BR's letter of 4th August they indicated that sub-groups (of the Functional Councils) were able "to vary the standard working week for work groups within their scope as part of a jointly-agreed package of changes in pay, conditions of service and working practices."
This is a giving of authority to the higher body with that then being eroded at the lower body- or is it forked tongue negotiation!
Yet we have moved some way since the proposals of 3rd February and 1st November 1988 as follows:
• Trade union negotiation and encouragement of employees to join a recognised trade union.
• a national across-the-industry negotiating process.
• suspension of the termination date of the existing machinery by
• negotiations on a new machinery direct with the British Rail Board. -
• recognition by the Board that compulsory arbitration (a "no strike" deal) is not acceptable to the trade unions.
• all existing national agreements can be changed only nationally by agreement.
Also crucial is that on 1st August B.R. accepted that local or Area Managers will not be able lo do deals on money (wages. etc) unless direct authority is given "from above," i.e. jointly from B.R. and the unions.
Still. there is a long way to go. It is accepted that there will be more than one representative at each depot. but the number is not clear. However, the matters they can discuss are:
Local performance and business developments; arrangements of link working; arrangements of working hours: holiday arrangements; local travel and walking times: changes to working practices; application of area and National Council decisions; staff welfare.
Important also is that safety matters and safety representatives should be integrated into the local representative system.
The trades unions, following a meeting under A.C.A.S. on 22nd August. can now expect a fourth document "drawing together the various views put in negotiations" in recent weeks.
The Society has refined and re honed its policy in matters of detail but will consider the fresh material in early/mid-September. We want early urgent discussions that are "meaningful" in accordance with the 1989 AAD decision.
If these are not, in total, "meaningful" a further ballot, ONLY ON THE MACHINERY, WILL BEHELD.
This ballot will be on forms of industrial action similar to the ballot terminated by the 1989 Scarborough AAD decision.
The ballot will pose the question of what you are prepared to do to obtain '"AN ADEQUATE,
NEGOTIATED, AND EFFECTIVE MACHINERY OF NEGOTIATION"
We hope that this ballot will not be necessary but, if it is, it must be won with an overwhelming disciplined result by you.
It is still a long tortuous haul up the summit but we might be getting there. If we don't, MAKE SURE THEY'LL NOT BE GETTING THERE EITHER!
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TRAINEES DESERVE BETTER
You may find this a strange request coming from a member of the National Union of Railwaymen, but I feel I must put pen to paper and ask you to allow this to be printed in the Locomotive Journal to put our side (driver in training) to certain members of your union.
1) We did not offer £200 for the acceptance of the Train Crew Concept; management did, and you accepted it with open arms.
2) The attitude of certain A.S.L.E.F. drivers towards-guards training to become driver is that you treat us like we crawled out from under a stone and, in some cases, worse.
3) Do these drivers know that most drivers in training have got 10 to 20 years’ railway service as guards - which is more than some of the drivers mentioned above, and they know who they are?
4) Yes, we are members of the N.U.R., which is partly to the federation along with A.S.L.E.F.;but most, if not all, drivers in training will be applying to become members of A.S.L.E.F. (which we accept is a driver only union).
So we say to you drivers that treat us and the minder drivers like “scabs”: Remember drivers are retiring every day and the ranks of A.S.L.E.F. are dwindling fast; and management ha unwittingly given an opportunity to swell the ranks of A.S.L.E.F. once again.
And they know who I mean wish to drive a wedge between “them” and “us”. If so, they are doing a good job at present. But, my foolish friends, remember unity is strength; divided, management will conquer.
5) So next time you see a driver in training or a minder driver don’t treat them like “scabs” because they are carrying out your union’s policy. Or do you wish to put another nail in A.S.L.E.F.’s coffin? And you have the neck to call yourselves “trade unionist” - don’t make me laugh.
TONY ARMSTRONG
DRIVER IN TRAINING
SELHURST
WEST WORTHING A.S.L.E.&F. MEMBERS
OFF TO PASTURES NEW
The West Worthing A.S.L.E.F. members remained apart of the Brighton branch after the
amalgamation. In August 1989 West Worthing A.S.L.E.F. members decided that it would be
more beneficial for them to amalgamate with another branch. This was due to the on going
problems that the Brighton Branch was facing with the newly amalgamated Brighton depot.
This move was to end West Worthing's association with the Brighton Branches of the past
fifty years.
The West Worthing A.S.L.E.F. members then became part of the Littlehampton Branch of
A.S.L.E.F. in October 1989, where they remained members of until the Littlehampton Branch
due to the closure of both West Worthing and Littlehampton depots in 1995 when the depots
moved to the new depot at Barnham.
Back row Left ~ Right: Bob Maxim & Chris Chewter (L'hm Guard)
Middle Jim Cameron (W. Worthing), Ken Pursley (W. Worthing), Ken Skilton, Bill Locke & Jim Parkes (W. Worthing).
Front Ian Munro (W. Worthing) & Tony Squires (L’hm Guard).
LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
OCTOBER 1989
REAL UNIONIST
I noted Tony Armstrong, T/D Selhurst, letter in the Journal. I would like to point out that up until this year to be a driver you did some time as a Secondman.
We are instructors, we are drives. For years all we’ve had is “Guards are in charge of trains” rammed down our throats.
The line speeds are more now than a few years ago, timing are tighter, it’s harder faster job driving trains. With all due respect nobody is going to put my train past a red light, and I truly think this is the general feeling amongst present driver.
In 1982, we at Bognor A.S.L.E.F. were 100 per cent loyal. Unfortunately, Bognor N.U.R. had a scab. So I think we are trade unionists.
As for being a Minder Driver, all i can say is NO THANKS. If you want to trade union spirit at work you should see our Retirement Evenings for our our Drivers. We have visitors from the A.S.L.E.F. branches every time who will tel you they are bloody good.
So think on, Tony, and good luck with the training.
NICK BULLIMORE
BOGNOR REGIS
Above L-R Chris Bassett, Denis Bloom & Unknown
Left
L-R Paul White (Bog), Denise Bloom (T.Bdgs) & Chris Bassett (Horsham)
Retirement & Long Service Awards 1989
Back row left to right John Osborne*, Bill MacKenzie*, Tony Luff (Horsham),
Mike Donnelly (Area Opperation Manager),
Bob Morgan (Littlehampton), Mick Gillam* (Littlehampton), Stewart Fuller* (Seaford).
THE RETIREMENT OF SECTIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER
BERNIE NOAKES
BRIGHTON BRANCH WEST WORTHING E.M.U.T.
Left ~ Right: Ron Lifford (Battersea, Sectional Council Secretary) & Bernie Noakes
(Sectional Council, Brighton (No.2) Branch).
Ron Lifford is presenting Bernie Noakes with a plaque on his retirement in
October/November 1989 at his last Full Council meeting on 15th November 1989. Bernie
was a driver West Worthing E.M.U.T. for many years of his driving career. Bernie
had previously been at depots in the London area (Norwood/New Cross Gate?) and
transferred to West Worthing 1958
LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL
DECEMBER 1989
EPSOM
It is with deep regret that I have to report the death of Driver George Byrne of Epsom. George started his career as a cleaner at Redhill in 1944. He was appointed fireman at Norwood in 1947 and become a driver in 1953.
He moved to Epsom Downs Depot in 1955 until its closure in 1969 when he transferred to Streatham Hill. He transferred to Epsom in December 1986 but unfortunately retired through ill health in April 1989. George passed away on 24 October.
He was a very kind and understanding person and will be sadly missed by us all. Condolences go to his wife Billie and family.
RON THOMAS
LEADING DRIVER
EPSOM EMUT