ASLEF announce strike dates on East Midlands Trains

18 Jul 2012
ASLEF’s Executive Committee announced today (18-07-12) that approximately 450 ASLEF members employed by East Midland’s Trains will take strike action on the following dates. August 6-7-8, 2012, as part of their on-going dispute with EMT over pensions contributions.
Previous strike action planned to take place from June 23-25, 2012 was suspended to allow for further negotiations to take place. However talks have failed to produce the hoped-for breakthrough.
ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan said
‘To cut pension contributions in the current climate is highly irresponsible. It is widely believed that the fund’s assets have dramatically decreased since the last valuation. Also, any suggestion that drivers would save money ignores the fact that the pension scheme is split 60/40 between the employer and the employee – so if our members are saving £500, the company is saving £750. In total that’s £1,250 a year less going into the fund per active member.
‘This is simply storing up trouble for the next valuation and the future of the scheme. It is disingenuous to suggest our members are getting something for nothing. The current owners of the East Midlands Trains franchise may have no responsibility over the pension fund in a few years, whereas our members face the prospect of either cripplingly high contribution rates or reduced benefits due to a short-term cost-cutting decision made by EMT that has left the scheme in deficit.’

About these ads