ASLEF members on London Tramlink are to be balloted with a view to starting industrial action over a pay dispute. Drivers are currently subject to a pay freeze with the previous pay deal having expired six months ago and Tram Operations Limited (TOL), operators of the network, having yet to bring a new deal to the table.
We first brought you news back in February about this dispute with apparent negotiations between officials from ASLEF and TOL not getting anywhere near an agreement and since then it would appear no deal has been tabled. This had led to the Union deciding that in order to get the result they need they will ballot their members with a view to taking industrial action in order to force the hand of TOL in coming back to the table with a more realistic offer (or even any offer).
In a statement ASLEF said: “More than six months after the end of our last pay deal, Tramlink management are still refusing to make a new pay offer. With taxes going up this month and prices for fuel, domestic energy and food going through the roof, you need an inflation linked pay rise just to stay still.”
The ballot will remain open until 1st June. Subject to the results, and with no deal having been offered it is almost 100% certain that members will vote in favour, strike action could then commence by the middle of the month.