Drivers
belonging
to
ASLEF


have
voted
by
a
large
majority
to
continue
strikes
and
other
industrial
action
at
the
English
train
operators.

In
most
cases
fewer
than
10
per
cent
of
those
who
voted
opposed
more
action
in
the
continuing
pay
dispute.
On
Island
Line,
all
10
ASLEF
drivers
voted
in
favour
of
further
strikes.

The
ballot
results
have
come
just
after
ASLEF
members
in
Scotland
rejected
a
pay
offer
from
ScotRail,
although
the
RMT
has
accepted
it.

ASLEF
general
secretary
Mick
Whelan
said:
‘Once
again
our
members
have
decided,
and
made
it
clear
that
we
are
in
this
for
the
long
haul.

‘Train
drivers
are
sick
to
the
back
teeth
of
their
employers
and
the
government
failing
to
negotiate
in
good
faith,
and
blaming
drivers
for
their
inability
to
manage
services
and
the
rail
industry
effectively.

‘ASLEF
members,
the
key
workers
who
kept
our
country
moving
through
the
pandemic,
are
simply
asking
for
a
fair
deal
on
pay
so
that
they
can
afford
to
keep
up
with
their
outgoings
in
this
government-made
cost
of
living
crisis.

‘We
have
always
said
we
are
prepared
to
come
to
the
table
but
the
government
and
the
train
companies
need
to
understand
that
this
dispute
won’t
be
resolved
by
trying
to
bully
our
members
into
accepting
worse
terms
and
conditions.’

The
Rail
Delivery
Group
and
the
Department
for
Transport
have
yet
to
comment.