Woolwich Ferry workers are set to receive a double-digit pay rise, with a new deal between Transport for London and the Unite union bringing an end to over two years of strikes for the service.
A statement from Unite has revealed the worker’s union have reached an agreement with TfL on pay hikes for staff at the Woolwich Ferry.
The Woolwich Ferry service has been plagued with intermittent closures due to strikes over pay disputes since TfL took over the service in January 2021.
Under the new agreement, car park assistants are set to receive a 26 per cent increase from this April, while senior deckhands will see their pay boosted by over 18 per cent.
Staff will also be paid an additional 7 to 10 per cent for weekend and night shifts.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said in a statement: “Our members’ long-running campaign for fair pay has succeeded.
"At long last TfL has agreed to a pay deal which puts an end to years of industrial unrest on the Thames.”
She added: “This agreement would not have been possible without the steely determination of the workforce and their preparedness for strike action.
"It’s more evidence that Unite is continuing to deliver better jobs, terms and conditions for its members.”
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The statement from Unite said workers of the ferry had suffered “poor employment relations” with TfL.
Onay Kasab, lead national officer of Unite, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We were hoping what would happen with the service coming in house would be the dispute being solved quickly.
"Unfortunately, TfL didn’t behave any differently to any other private company, so we needed strike action.”
Despite the agreement on pay conditions, the union officer said there was still work to be done to reach an agreement on the hours staff are expected to work.
He said Unite had made sure a review process had been put in place to continue work in this area.
Mr Kasab said: “It wasn’t an ‘in principle’ opposition, we were prepared to negotiate, provided [workers] were not just rewarded properly, but also that the roster would be fair.
"We could work the roster so people weren’t working nights too often.
"A lot of them are still relatively young men with young families, and everything that comes with that when working nights.”
The union officer said that nighttime work would be carried out for necessary repairs to the service, in the hopes of less overall closures.
While he said rosters were the most “frustrating” part of reaching an agreement, Mr Kasab said the union was proud of the continued dedication from the workers.
Mr Kasab said: “It is very significant, we’re particularly proud of our members on the Woolwich Ferry. It’s not just about pay and conditions, but also disputes on safety.”
He added: “It’s a vindication of Unite’s position, with a complete laser focus on workforce, the terms of work conditions, and pay being a number one priority.”
The Woolwich Ferry allows residents to travel across the River Thames between Woolwich and North Woolwich free of charge.
It currently operates on a weekday service between 6am and 9pm.
The service was also suspended for two and a half weeks last month to add a new guide rail and expand waiting areas for traffic.
Tricia Ashton, TfL’s Director of Rail and Sponsored Services, told the LDRS: “We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with Unite.
"The delivery of a reliable service for our customers continues to be our key priority.”
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