ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, has announced this afternoon that is suspending its planned strike action on the tram network after receiving a “much improved offer” from employers FirstGroup.
Union officials speaking to Inside Croydon indicated that they will be putting the revised offer to their drivers on Monday.
The two-day strike was due to be held on Wednesday and Thursday next week.
The union announced the strike on June 6 after members of ASLEF had voted 100 per cent in favour of industrial action over what they call “the failure of FirstGroup to make an acceptable pay offer”.
There was a 82 per cent turn-out on the union’s ballot, well above the levels demanded of the Tory Government’s latest legislation to reduce workers’ rights to withdraw their labour.
Multi-national transport firm FirstGroup operates the south London trams service under a concession with Transport for London.
Last year, FirstGroup cut pension benefits for their staff. Drivers are now having to pay up to £120 per month more out of their salaries into their pension fund, which is much more than the pay rise which the employers offered originally.
- Still Croydon’s only independent news source, and based in the heart of the borough: 1.97 million page views 2013-2015
- Inside Croydon: Named among best regional media campaigns, 2014
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event to publicise, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com