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Aug 14 2024
Rail strikes could end following ‘major breakthrough’ as train drivers set to vote on new pay offer | UK News

There has been a “major breakthrough” in the long-running pay row involving train drivers, which could signal the end of national rail strikes, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

It says that, following a series of “positive” talks led by the government, the drivers’ union ASLEF has agreed to recommend a new pay proposal to its members.

“The offer made to ASLEF is a 5% pay rise for 2022/23, 4.75% for 23/24, and 4.5% for 24/25,” a DfT spokesperson said.

“The offer will now be put to ASLEF members in a referendum.”

During the two-year pay dispute, drivers have taken 18 days of strike action as well as refusing to work non-contractual overtime, leading to huge disruption for passengers.

ASLEF first balloted for industrial action in June 2022 and renewed its mandates for strike action and action short of a strike every six months.

The first strike was held in July 2022, followed by regular walkouts and rolling weeks of action until just before this year’s general election.

The union said on Wednesday that the dispute began because the “Tory government, and the privatised train companies” refused to give train drivers the “pay rise they deserve”.

ASLEF added that drivers had not had a salary rise since 2019 and during that time the “cost of living has increased significantly”.

Mick Whelan, the union’s general secretary, described the pay offer as “fair” and clean” before saying he is urging drivers to accept it.

He said: “We are pleased that after being treated with utter contempt for the last two years by the privatised train companies, and the previous government that was pulling their strings, we finally have a new government – a Labour government – that listens and wants to make the railway work for staff, for passengers, and for the taxpayer.”

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Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan on the picket line at Euston train station. Pic: PA
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ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan, centre, on the picket line at Euston train station in April. Pic: PA

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “When I took this job, I said I wanted to move fast and fix things – starting by bringing an end to rail strikes.

“The Conservatives were happy to see the taxpayer pay the price as strikes dragged on and on, and passengers suffered. This Labour government is doing the right thing and putting passengers first.

“If accepted, this offer would finally bring an end to this long-running dispute, and allow us to move forward by driving up performance for passengers with the biggest overhaul to our railways in a generation.”

But Tory leadership candidate and shadow home secretary James Cleverly criticised the proposal as an “inflation-busting pay award from the Labour government”.

And shadow transport secretary Helen Whately said on X that “a ‘no strings’ deal means this will be paid for by passengers and taxpayers”, as she accused Labour of caving in to unions.

The DfT has said new industry estimates suggest that train companies have missed out on around £850m of passenger revenue since industrial action began in 2022.

Accounting for additional impacts of strikes, including people being unable to work, or potential reductions in spending on hospitality and retail, the total impact likely exceeds £1bn, the DfT added.

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Jun 16 2023
Eileen Cotter death: DNA breakthrough sees pensioner John Apelgren convicted of killing sex worker almost 50 years later | UK News

A man has been convicted of murdering a woman nearly half a century ago following a DNA breakthrough.

John Apelgren hit sex worker Eileen Cotter in the face, strangled her and threw her body out of his car in Islington, north London, in 1974.

After interviewing 92 potential suspects at the time, the case went cold until DNA was found on Ms Cotter’s body in 2012.

Then, in 2019, there was a breakthrough when police took Apelgren’s DNA after he attacked his third wife – the sample was a match.

His ex-wife Anne also revealed she had been mistreated and that Apelgren had once grabbed her neck with both hands.

She told police she believed he was cheating just months after their 1972 marriage and later found out he was sleeping with her brother’s wife.

Ex-cab driver Apelgren, from Sydenham in south London, declined to give evidence at his Old Bailey trial.

However, after 11 hours of deliberations the jury found him guilty of manslaughter and indecent assault – but not guilty of murder.

Apelgren strangled and beat Eileen Cotter and pushed her body out his car
Image:
Apelgren strangled and beat Eileen Cotter and pushed her body out of his car

The court heard he was seen on the night of the killing at a Finsbury Park hotdog stall where Ms Cotter would often go.

The 22-year-old woman was later found near some garages, semi-naked with a black eye and bruising, and her underwear and tights had been pulled down.

A post-mortem examination found she died of strangulation.

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Prosecutor Alexandra Healy KC told the Old Bailey that Apelgren had sex with Ms Cotter before attacking and strangling her.

“Having killed her, he pushed her out of his car. Her body was discovered in the position it fell, without shoes, and with her tights and underwear still around her right leg.”

The trial also heard that the killing came two years after Apelgren allegedly indecently assaulted an 18-year-old guest at his own wedding.

Sentencing will take place at a later date.

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Feb 21 2023
‘Major breakthrough’: Most firms say they’ll stick with a four-day working week after successful trial | UK News

The world’s biggest trial of a four-day working week has been hailed a success – with most of the companies involved saying they would continue offering a shorter week.

A total of 61 companies across several sectors in the UK were involved in the pilot, which ran for six months from June last year.

Employers had to make sure there was no reduction in wages for staff who took part in trialling a 32-hour week.

At least 56 out of the 61 firms which took part said they plan to continue with the four-day working week, including The Royal Society Of Biology based in London.

Chief Executive Mark Downs said productivity had increased.

He added: “There’s been a decline in the number of sick days taken during the period of the trial.

“Before the trial, on average, each person would take four or five sick days per year – that’s down to less than two.

“I think it’s a substantial difference.”

Other firms involved in the pilot have had similar experiences.

Research carried out by the University of Cambridge and Boston College found that the number of sick days taken by the 2,900 staff in the trial fell by about two-thirds.

Also, 39% of employees said they were less stressed.

Tessa Gibson, a senior accreditation officer at the Royal Society of Biology, said she would not want to go back to a five-day week – adding: “Weekends can be quite hectic, so it has been quite nice to have that extra day to see your friends and family, and then you get that extra day off during the week to do all your chores or to have that time to relax.

“It has made a big difference to my mental health.”

The COVID pandemic has meant that employers are having to find more flexible working arrangements in order to attract and retain staff, but not all businesses think a four-day week is the solution.

Jay Richards is the co-founder of Imagen Insights, which helps brands gather feedback from young people.

He said a four-day working week often leaves employees feeling like they have to squeeze more work into fewer days.

“I think a four-day week sounds good in principle but in practice how many companies are going to be able to support employees’ wellbeing if they are going from a normal five-day week and cramming that down into four days?

“We do a five-day week but we work 10am to 4pm, we shorten the days so the employees have that work-life harmony but they’re not actually shortening their week, which I think would put more pressure on them.”

The findings of the pilot scheme will be presented to MPs on Tuesday 20 February.

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