On Wednesday, Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, said: “When I took this job, I said I wanted to move fast and fix things – starting by bringing an end to rail strikes.”
As she handed Aslef a no-strings-attached pay rise, abandoning attempts made by the Tories to link the increases to reforms of costly and wasteful “Spanish practices”, she said: “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.”
Under the pay increase, drivers’ salaries will average £69,000 a year for a four-day, 35-hour working week.
Nigel Roebuck, Aslef’s lead negotiator with LNER, said: “This dispute started nigh-on two years ago with our members complaining about consistently being badgered for “favours” by managers outside of rostering agreements and being contacted remotely which is also against our agreements.”
The Telegraph highlighted this week how these Spanish practices, enshrined in formal agreements made with rail unions, hold back vital productivity reforms.
Ms Haigh’s spokesman declined to respond to a request for comment.
LNER and the Department for Transport have been contacted for comment.