Aslef Journal

news 7April 2010It’s allabout you:members’surveyAT THE end of last year we includeda readership survey in an edition ofthe ASLEF Journal, writes NationalOrganiser Simon Weller. Many thanks tothe many of you who responded – over 8%which is well over the percentage normallyreturned in magazine surveys. It turned upsome interesting facts, all of which will beused to try to improve our services andcommunication with members. Below arethe main findings of the survey.qHOW DO YOU GEt YOUR UNIONINFORMAtION?The AsLef Journal continues to be far andaway the union’s major communication tool,with local reps being the second mosteffective way of disseminating information.branch meetings and branch secretaries arethe next significant and it is encouraging tosee that the website (www.aslef.org.uk)continues to grow as a source of information.qDO YOU AttEND bRANCHMEEtINGS?Less than half – 42% - of those returning asurvey form said they attended branchmeetings regularly (as opposed to frequently).qWHICH AGE GROUP DO YOU FALLINtO?The largest part of our membership is in the45/60 bracket but a third are in the 30/45range. only 3% are under 30.qDO YOU HAVE AN E-MAILADDRESS?In a major change since the survey weconducted five years ago, 99% of our membersnow have access to emails and 70% haveregular access to the internet.qCAN YOU DESCRIbE YOUR REGULARLEISURE ACtIVItIES?sport features high on outside interests, with aquarter playing them and 57% watching. notsurprisingly, travel is high up the agenda witheating out and walking both popular (which israther a nice balance!). Just over half enjoyreading, the same as those who consider barsand pubs a regular activity. 40% enjoy film butonly 9% consider the arts a regular pastime.half the respondents said they enjoyed euroTravel, the same number who put music as aregular interest.qWHICH NEWSPAPER DO YOU READREGULARLY?Apart from the splendidly high ‘write-in’ votefor ‘Whatever I find on the train’, I’m afraid thesun and the mail just pipped the mirror. someway back, the Times is the most popular of the‘heavies’ with the guardian showing ratherlow.qWHICH bIt OF tHE JOURNAL DOYOU tURN tO FIRSt?The order in which people read the Journal isnews, letters, features and branch newsqWHAt SORt OF tRAINING SHOULDtHE UNION OFFER?There was a resounding call from both activereps and lay members for more training incommunications. This was the most-requestedarea, followed by courses on employment law,negotiating and people skills. I have beenprogressing this and will ensure it is central toour revised training programme, along withlegislation, advocacy and negotiating skills.‘I’d like to thank everyone who took thetrouble to return a survey,’ simon says. ‘We willuse the information to try to put resources intothe most effective ways of communicatingwith our members.’Newsinbrief LILLE FOCUS FOR ItF DAY OF ACtIONRail unions across europe will converge onthe french town of Lille on Tuesday 13 Aprilfor a 1100 rally and demonstration callingfor ‘Rail safety before Profit’. Lille is thehome of the european Railway Agency.Keith norman says the purpose of theevent is to protest at ‘dangerous eu ruleswhich open up rail to competition, and bydoing so threatens safety and jobs’.If you are interested in joining the AsLefcontingent, please contact your branchsecretary or national organiser simonWeller. SCOtLAND AGAINSt VIOLENCEAt WORKThere will be a rally on 19 Aprilat 1230 in the city councilchambers in dundee to ‘backthe bill to end violenceAgainst Workers’ – the bill inquestion being hugh henry’sefforts in the scottish Parliament totoughen sentences for those who assaultpublic service workers. called the Workers(Aggravated offences) bill (scotland), weencourage all members who can make it tothe rally to attend. for further informationcontact AsLef’s officer in scotland, KevinLindsay. DON’t RELAX ZIMbAbWESANCtIONS, tUC tELLS ZUMAAs south African President Jacob Zumabegan a state visit to the uK last month, theTuc urged him not to relax eu sanctionsimposed on Zimbabwe’s ruling elite forhuman rights abuses over the last decade.Tuc general secretary brendan barbersaid, ‘despite the formation of thegovernment of national unity, humanrights violations have not stopped.’ £2 bILLION ROLLING StOCKGRAVY tRAINAsLef has expressed dismay at the newsthat hsbc bank is planning to sell its rollingstock company hsbc Rail for £2 billion,possibly to a consortium of private equitybidders. The bank purchased the trainleasing company for around £700 million in1997 and owns around 4,000 trains,approximately one third of the uK’s totalrolling stock.‘We’ve always known the rolling stockcompanies have been the cash cows of railprivatisation,’ said general secretary Keithnorman ‘but profits of £1.3 billion for hsbcin just over a decade show just howscandalous the mismanagement of publicassets was.’