Aslef rail union boss points warning to Labour over staff’ rights reforms

The head of train drivers union Aslef warned he would be “incredibly angry” if Labour changed its package of workers’ rights.

Labour has played down reports it is preparing to weaken its original “New Deal for Working People” if it gets into power. But it comes amid suggestions that an updated plan could include a loophole allowing workers to be on zero-hours contract, if they opt out. Any revisions to the plans draw criticism from Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef.

“I would be incredibly angry,” he told The Mirror. “We have agreed the New Deal. It was done and dusted. When you make an agreement, you don’t renege on it. It goes ahead as planned.” He insisted the New Deal must be on the statute book within the promised 100 days of coming to power, but conceded that implementation could take longer because of necessary consultations that would follow.

“It is transformative for working people,” Mr Whelan said. He also warned against altering the zero hours pledge. “Anybody who talks about zero hours being good for workers is a liar,” he said. “If you don’t know what hours you are doing next week, if you don’t if you can pay your rent or food your kids, that isn’t flexibility, it is fear.”

It came as Aslef prepares to launch another wave of strikes next week as part of a long running pay dispute. Members will walk out in a series of one-day strikes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that will bring many services to a halt. Labour’s New Deal includes a pledge to repeal the Tories’ minimum service level laws, which require companies in particular industries – including rail – to run a certain number of services. But no train operators have used the powers until now, and Mr Whelan said none proposed to do so for next week’s stoppages.

On the impact of the strikes on passengers, Mr Whelan said: “Nobody wants to be losing money, nobody wants to be standing on picket lines, but the only way to articulate the fact that we haven’t had a pay rise for five years is to do this.”