Posted 13th August 2009 | 1 Comment
East Anglia rail strikes called off after pay agreement reached
NXEA managing director Andrew Chivers
NATIONAL Express East Anglia services will be returning to normal from tomorrow morning following suspension of further industrial action by drivers’ union Aslef after agreement was reached today on the pay award.
Services between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport, Southend Victoria, Colchester and Norwich have been crippled during five days of strike action by Aslef and RMT members, with daily totals of trains down from the normal 1,800 to 100.
The unions had been seeking a better deal from National Express which runs the services, claiming that there was strong support for action. No details of the offer which has been accepted has been revealed but it is known that Aslef leaders were demanding a 2.5 per cent increase and a cut in the working week.
NXEA managing director Andrew Chivers said: “We’re pleased to advise customers that the industrial action has been suspended. We will try to run best possible services tomorrow, though there may be some residual delays and alterations to services.”
Normal services will be restored during tomorrow morning, but there will be some alterations and disruption, particularly to some early services.
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alan pratt, carlisle, england
i feel that drivers and many guards have done quite well during the post privitisation pay scale if the main railway unions want better public sympathy then they should be prepared to leave their comfort zone of calling strikes every time a slight change of condition is sugested for these allready well paid staff and start fighting for improved conditions for the many cleaners and other semi and unskilled maintence staff working on trains and stations and depots for on or just above minimum wage and no free or reduced rate travel or pension