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Avanti West Coast practice drivers will obtain an elevated price for working time beyond regulation shifts as a part of an settlement with the Aslef union.
The “relaxation day working” deal means drivers will now be paid a flat £600 to work an additional shift on prime of their normal four-day week.
Earlier than the settlement, drivers obtained a flat cost of £125 along with their paid hourly charge – incomes from £421 to £495 relying on whether or not they labored an eight or 10-hour shift.
The Sunday Instances reported that the pay enhance may take some drivers’ common annual wage to an unconfirmed determine round £100,000.
In keeping with Avanti recruitment, a typical practice driver wage “of circa £70,000” with out time beyond regulation pay, might be reached “inside only a few years”.
The brand new deal will stay till 13 March 2025 and hopes to enhance the “reliability” of the practice operator’s companies.
Final month, rail minister Huw Merriman stated that Avanti West Coast will “by no means be capable to ship a correct service” on account of its present drivers’ contracts.
A spokesperson for Avanti stated: “We’re happy to achieve settlement on relaxation day working… It’s going to assist guarantee our companies are extra dependable and resilient whereas we proceed coaching our drivers on our brand-new trains.”
Aslef basic secretary Mick Whelan confirmed that the time beyond regulation battle had been settled with Avanti.
The settlement comes amid ongoing scheduling disruption and 22 months of industrial motion on account of disputes between UK practice operators and Aslef over pay and dealing situations.
Members of the Aslef union plan to halt 1000’s of trains on 5, 6 and eight April. The purpose is to disrupt companies on the 14 rail corporations in England which are managed by the UK authorities and represented by the Rail Supply Group (RDG).
The commercial motion is about to carry the capital to a standstill on Monday 8 April when the vast majority of Tube and commuter trains will probably be cancelled.
