A Brighton Aslef member THE RECENT General Secretary election in ASLEF saw Lew Adams defeated by SLP supporter Dave ("Mick") Rix. This opens up opportunities tor the left as a whole. For many members, the rot started with the 1995 pay deal. A series of one-day strikes for a "substantial pay increase', the last chance nationally before privatisation, were called off after two days, for a rise below inflation and a promise of restructurOn Connex South Central London suburban and Sussex coast), Adams called off a rest day ban last summer, despite overwhelming on flimsy promises from Connex As this was during ASLEF The needed their agreement to do this. He told them that Connex had 'totally surrendered", that their negotiating team had been replaced and their proposals for restructuring torn up and begun afresh.
The representatives for the negotiations were not even consulted. The next week, when they went back, they found business as usual.
Adams' closeness the Labour leadership did not help him either. Despite widespread anger al Labour's plans for privatising London Underground, he has equivocated. He also ditched ASLEF's demands for renationalisation of BR, al Blair's request, and sat on disputes in the run-up to the general election.
Indeed, in those disputes that have taken place, he sought to direct anger away from management and onto the RMT.
At times this was just ignored, but at others he has created an atmosphere of bitterness over recruitment that promised to lead to all-out war, with ASLEF taking a right-wing company linion role Mick Rix, to his credit, has opposed this sectarianism, and will hopefully capitalise on the anger at privatisation, restructuring and Labour's record..