Peter Lazenby
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TRAIN drivers’ union Aslef warned today of more strike action after its members’ “solid and successful” stoppage over the weekend, and told Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to “stop lying.”
Drivers at nine companies have joined rail unions RMT and TSSA in taking strike action as the industry descends further into chaos under Mr Shapps’s stewardship.
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan told the Morning Star: “The strike was solid and successful.
“We hope the companies will now come to the negotiating table with a sensible offer and that Grant Shapps will stop lying about his ability to make a deal — then no more passengers will be inconvenienced.
“If however Grant Shapps sits on his hands and the train companies refuse to budge, there will be strikes on the nine companies in two weeks’ time on Saturday August 13 and many more strikes to come.”
The union reported public support on the picket lines across the country.
At Ramsgate station in Kent supporters joining pickets included members of Thanet Left.
The group said in a statement: “We’ve had years of austerity, cuts in public services, increasing privatisation of our NHS and now a cost-of-living crisis.
“Enough is enough —it’s time to fight back.
“Unions taking industrial action are fighting against the cost of-living crisis which faces us all — that’s why we should support them. Runaway profits are the problem, not wages.”
In Doncaster, former miners’ leader Arthur Scargill joined the picket line along with Aslef former president Tosh McDonald, Labour members of Doncaster Council and one of Doncaster’s prospective parliamentary candidates for the city, Sally Jameson.
Mr McDonald said: “There was nothing but support from members of the public. Change is in the air.”
Aslef today also denied one operating company’s claims that it was facing “multiple, short-notice cancellations” through “unofficial action” on its network.
Avanti West Coast said in a notice to passengers that they “should be prepared for services to be disrupted at short notice and be very busy.”
Aslef said the truth was that company did not employ enough drivers to run its services.
Mr Whelan said: “There is no action — official or unofficial — and the company should stop lying to passengers and belittling its staff.”
