‘Independence’ central to ASLEF president

21 May 2007

ASLEF President Alan Donnelly stressed that the union’s strength over the past 127 years was largely due to the solidarity that came from its independence.

‘Policies have always mattered to our union, rather than personalities,’ he said. ‘Personalities mean spin. That is not the ASLEF way.’

Alan identified the union’s main challenges within our industry as the success of the Squash campaign to improve drivers’ cabs, the ending of ‘moonlighting’ in our grades, sorting out Specially Monitored Drivers without a discredited points system and the provision of travel facilities equal to those of the old BR days.

He also stressed the need for the union to generate more money and said he had been proud to establish professional systems and people, which meant we no longer took decisions without any consideration of the available budget.

‘There are a host of unions waiting like vultures to snap up ASLEF,’ he said. ‘We will work closely with all our union brothers and sisters, but not at the cost of our independence,’ he declared. ‘They want our industrial muscle. We want our independence. That is why we need to ensure we have the finances to continue as a discreet union.’

STOP PRESS: Delegates to the ASLEF annual conference have voted to increase its subscriptions by a maximum of 50p a week for scale one members, leaving others unchanged. The union will explain the financial position in more detail to activists and examine its procedures to see how expenditure can be reduced.

 

22 May 2007

On the second day of the 2007 ASLEF conference, delegates concentrated on proposals to change the union’s rule book. They voted to keep their annual conference and leave the arrangements for electing the general secretary unchanged.

MOVE TO 2 YEAR CONFERENCE THWARTED

The executive proposal to cease having annual conferences - and have an assembly of delegates once every two years instead – was soundly defeated. Both the President and the General Secretary argued that the money saved justified such a move – but delegates insisted that anything that cut back democracy and limited accountability would be detrimental to the union.

NO CHANGE TO GS RULES

West Brompton Branch argued for a number of changes concerning the election of the General Secretary. They wanted to exclude District Officers from standing so that only people without experience of headquarters would be eligible. The delegate said that the objective was to ensure that the union’s senior representative would be guaranteed to come from ‘the grassroots’. He also wanted the existing rule removed which says that if the General Secretary’s term of office took them to over age 60, they remain in office, with no further election, until age 65.

West Brompton branch insisted that the GS should be forced to stand again if the five-year term of office ended while the incumbent was between sixty and 65.

Conference said the proposed changes would exclude many of the people most qualified to do the job.

 

23 May 2007

 

Travel Facilities
The union is to campaign for travel facilities to be restored to levels that were enjoyed before privatisation.

TPWS Overspeed Activations
The union is to take up the ludicrous situation where speeds are not published which, if infringed, can cause the intervention of TPWS overspeed sensors. Clearly indicated speeds will help to avoid the situation where a driver may be tempted to ‘reset and go’ to avoid being placed into SMD. Limits exist, so it is pointless not to advertise them.

Handheld Computers
The union is to argue with managers that it would be simpler and better for the environment for the masses of paper drivers have to carry to be put onto computers provided by companies. Drivers need to know and/or carry with them Rule Book, Sectional Appendices, Traction and Traning manuals, WONs and PONs .

Use of Mobile Phones
Conference delegates urged the executive to ensure there is a clear, national, cross-country policy on the use of mobile phones in cabs. On one hand it was pointed out that - with hands-off technology - communications is available in aircraft and taxis – but this is probably not the route the union would seek. Brother Silk from Colchester said that in his region phones were provided for emergencies – but with the clear proviso that they must be switched off in the cab in normal circumstances. It was important that drivers had a single standard.

Letter to Gordon Brown
The general secretary is to write to Gordon Brown when he takes over as Prime Minister in order to remind him about decisions at the 1995 and 2004 Labour Party conferences which called for the return of our industry to public ownership and accountability.

C-Charge Campaign
ASLEF’s annual assembly of delegates has charged the executive with mounting a campaign to exclude the drivers of train, tube and light railway vehicles who work in depots within the congestion zone from paying the charge. The union accepted that the congestion charge in London has been a real success, reducing traffic and improving the environment. But it has caused problems for drivers. It was estimated that if drivers pay the charge, they could end up paying £200 a month in order to provide an essential public service! Many drivers have no alternative but to use their cars in order to provide the capital with the transport it needs. ‘We should be assisted as vital workers – not penalised for it!’ said Waterloo delegate Mars Colombini.