Conference time always highlights the key issues that have
arisen in the last 12 months and the issues activists need to address in the
coming 12 months. This year’s ASLEF conference is no different.
The victories of Silver Link and Midland Main Line workers
in defending their pensions shows the determination of members to strike for
justice.
Squash
The Squash campaign to improve our cab working environment
has made rail companies take action and improve or plan to improve the noisy,
hot and badly designed cabs. We should not rest, and make sure the rail
companies carry out their promises to improve cab environments.
St Pancras
The nationalisation of Chiltern Rail Company, not by our
government but by the German government, who now owns the company, highlights
the fiasco that still exists on Britain railways. The St Pancras International
Train crew branch call for international links with the French and Belgium rail
unions is a practical necessity of international co-operation.
The biggest issue that could divide us is harmonisation of
wages and conditions. The basic principle should be that the hard fought-for
conditions that have been gained should not be given up. If harmonisation is to
be agreed to, it can only be on the basis that we harmonise up, that we raise
the worst working conditions to the best. One driver should not pay to bring
another driver up to a better standard of conditions. This is just another way
for the railway companies to avoid paying and to improve their profits.
There may have been a tendency for members to leave issues
up to the union representatives to resolve things. Now is a good time for the
whole membership to get involved in union activities
Cuba and Venezuela
Aslef has always had a tradition of supporting
international campaigns like Cuba Solidarity, Justice for Colombia, action for
imprisoned trade unionists in Iran and Venezuela solidarity campaigns. The last
two years the conference have passed motions to affiliate to all Venezuela
solidarity campaigns, but the Union has only affiliated to VIC and not HOV. The
executive committee must be once again instructed to affiliate to all Venezuela
solidarity campaigns.
