Industrial Action cancelled but reduced timetable continues.

First Capital Connect announced the following on Thursday 10th December;

ASLEF has withdrawn the ballot for industrial action.
The union has considered our revised pay offer and agreed to recommend it for acceptance to members. The offer is spread over two years and includes productivity based increases. We are working jointly with Aslef to encourage our drivers to resume rest day and overtime working, our aim being to provide a full, normal service to our customers as quickly as possible.

Despite this, the reduced timetable is stil in operation. Leaflets were distributed at thameslink stations this morning that state;

Fewer than the anticipated number of drivers have put themselves down to be rostered next week given that they only learned on Tuesday night of the ASLEF decision.

Another poor excuse, and being the betting man I am, I would put money on the disruption lasting longer than just this week.

I have also picked up on a few posts at the Rail Forums (where train industry workers and customers are active) and found the following from an FCC ticket booth officer.

They still think they are going to run a full service next week or the week after……..

They reckon drivers didn’t sign up for rest days this week as they only just found out the new deal and they are hoping that drivers will sign up for the following week. Sorry to disappoint FCC but no one is going t sign up for RD work, well maybe one or two but the majority are staying off.

Happy Christmas everyone!