'Mark Harper - who is not a stupid man - knows full well that the fault lies not with this trade union, but at the door of the company and its desperately poor managers.'ĪSLEF represents 96% of train drivers in England, Scotland and Wales.ĭominic Raab is in the Commons at the moment, watching Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch respond to an Urgent Question on the revocation of EU-era laws. 'And what it has been working so hard to achieve. 'That's why the company has, frankly, got exactly what it deserves today. 'It has abused staff, tried to take away our terms and conditions, and tried to force through changes rather than negotiate like grown-ups. 'It has failed to recruit, and retain, the drivers it needs. Mr Whelan added that TransPennine Express 'has never employed enough drivers to deliver the services it promised to run'. 'That's what we have made clear over the years - that's what we have done - and now the company has paid the price.' The company's drivers - our members - will not be intimidated or abused by TPE managers. 'TPE management is famous throughout the railway industry for its confrontational approach. Mick Whelan, the union's general secretary, said: 'While we are delighted that the transport secretary has, at last, done the right thing and cancelled the lucrative contract of this failing rail company, we are disappointed that he is trying to blame ASLEF - rather than the company's inept management - for its many problems. More now on news that TransPennine Express has been brought under public control after continuous cancellations.ĪSLEF, the train drivers' trade union, welcomed the decision, but accused Transport Minister Mark Harper of making 'misleading comments'.

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