Aslef train drivers vote to back pay deal and end two-year standoff

September182024
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Train drivers have voted to back a pay deal that will resolve the last remaining conflict between rail operators and unions after more than two years of strikes that have brought misery for passengers.Members of the driver’s union Aslef voted overwhelmingly to support the pay offer by the Department for Transport (DfT) last month, which would mean a pay rise of almost 15% over three years.The approval by 97% of Aslef’s more than 20,000 members ends the union’s dispute with 16 train operating companies in England, which began in July 2022.Drivers have taken 18 days of strike action since then, resulting in a near complete shutdown of English lines and some cross-border services, as well as a run of overtime bans that have caused widespread disruption.Last month, Aslef’s management revealed it had agreed a pay offer in principle with the DfT that mean a pay rise of 5% for 2022-23, 4.

75% for 2023-24 and 4.5% for 2024-25 – all backdated and pensionable.Crucially, it was also on the basis that there would be no changes to working conditions.Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, said he was pleased the deal would end the longest drivers’ strike in history.“The strength and resilience and determination shown by train drivers to protect their hard-won and paid-for terms & conditions against the political piracy of an inept and destructive Tory government has prevailed,” he said.

The deal marks an improvement from the previous offer, put forward by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) in April last year, which was rejected by Aslef members.The earlier offer would have given drivers an 8% pay rise over two years but also included a number of changes to working conditions.Talks stopped completely between the union, the RDG and the government after this, with Aslef saying in May it had not had a meeting with the then rail minister, Huw Merriman, since January 2023.Negotiations with Aslef restarted in July after Labour’s election victory, with meetings taking place directly between the union and the DfT, and the RDG no longer involved in the process.Whelan said: “We are grateful that Louise Haigh, the secretary of state for transport, and the adults entered the room and sought an equitable way forward so that trains will perform and run in the interest of the passenger, of the taxpayer and of those who work in and are dedicated to this industry.

”Sign up to Business TodayGet set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morningafter newsletter promotionAslef was the only rail union yet to agree a pay deal after the RMT, which represents train crew, signallers, station staff and maintenance workers, agreed a deal with Network Rail in March 2023, before reaching an agreement with train operators in November last year,It came after the RMT had carried out more than 30 days of industrial action after its first strike day was held back in June 2022,Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association union agreed to end their separate national dispute with the RDG after a pay deal was reached in February last year,The TSSA agreed a deal with Network Rail in December 2022,Louise Haigh, the transport secretary, said: “After two years of chaos on our railways under the Conservatives, this is an important step towards fixing our railways and getting the country moving again.

“We have inherited a £22bn blackhole in the nation’s finances.Every decision taken is to stabilise the economy and protect working people.The cost of not settling would significantly outstrip the cost of this below-inflation deal.”A spokesperson for the RDG said: “We welcome the news that the dispute with train drivers has been resolved.The whole railway now needs to pull together and focus on delivering the best possible service for our customers.

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Georgina Hayden’s recipe for charred corn, chorizo and avocado

While corn on the cob is an autumn staple in our house (my girls love finding new flavours to roll the cobs in), I also love charring it and tossing it through salads. If you have a barbecue going, you can, of course, char the cobs first, then cut off the kernels, but otherwise I find this method easier. As it stands, this recipe is a proper hit – the flavours and textures go together so well – and it’s really versatile, too: add thin wedges of little gems or quartered soft-boiled eggs, or sprinkle over feta or sliced green jalapeños. Have a play and make it your own.Prep 10 min Cook 25 min Serves 4, as a side4 corn on the cob, husks removedSea salt and freshly ground black pepper75g cooking chorizo 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped2 tbsp sherry vinegar 2 tsp honey1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced20g bunch flat-leaf parsley (or coriander), roughly chopped2 avocados1 lime (optional)Carefully cut the kernels off the corn cobs and put them in a large, dry frying pan

September172024
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Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy hot smoked salmon frittatas with watercress and radishes – recipe | Quick and easy

These hot smoked salmon frittatas are as good for children as they are for lunchboxes the next day. Caraway seeds are a lovely touch, but optional if you don’t have them in or worry that a whole jar will go mostly unused (I always have them in, because the seeds work beautifully in cheddar biscuits or cheese straws, and a jar lasts me ages). You can use regular smoked salmon in these, but I prefer the texture of hot smoked salmon.Prep 10 min Cook 30 min Makes 12Oil, for greasing 6 medium eggs 1 tsp sea salt flakes 1 scant tsp caraway seeds (optional)150g ricotta 160g hot smoked salmon, flaked3 spring onions, finely slicedBlack pepperFor the salad15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice15ml (1 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil ½ tsp sea salt flakes 80g watercress 200g radishes, finely slicedHeat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6, and generously oil a 12-hole muffin tin (or, if you doubt your tin’s nonstick capabilities, fill the holes with paper muffin cases). Whisk the eggs with the salt, caraway seeds, if using, and 50g of the ricotta, then ladle the mixture equally between the muffin cases

September162024
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‘We called her the vegetable whisperer’: Rachel Roddy on the cook who inspired her

Carla Tomasi, who died in Rome in late August aged 70, was a teacher to many, and also to me. We met by chance in 2012. I’d seen a tweet from a friend mentioning that she was collecting pickles from a certain Carla Tomasi near Ostia, on the outskirts of Rome. I thought I would like to know this Carla and her pickles, so I wrote her an email saying as much. I received a reply immediately, which included several questions and an invitation to lunch at her house

September162024
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Scissor-cut, stir-fry and ‘a hug in a bowl’: six great noodle recipes

Scissor-cut noodles became a viral sensation a while ago. They’re simple and fun to make, great for vegans and an excellent dish for introducing kids to cooking. This recipe is incredibly affordable and versatile, and perfect for a variety of dietary preferences and ingredient adaptations. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to get creative with leftovers.Serves 4plain flour 500g salt ½ tspwater 250ml vegetable oil 1 tbsp sesame oil a little For the sauceoil 3 tbsp garlic 6 cloves, minceddried red chilli flakes 1 tbsp red chilli powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp light soy sauce 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp black vinegar 1 tbsp MSG (monosodium glutamate) 1 tspcoriander chopped, to servepeanuts chopped, to serveTo make the dough, combine the plain flour and salt in a large bowl

September152024
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Jeremy King: ‘The first time I was ever impressed by anyone was Meryl Streep’

The A-list’s favourite restaurateur on celebrity diners, what makes a good meal great – and why his solution to stress is transcendental meditationJeremy King knows more about the feel of rooms, perhaps, than any man in London. The co-creator (with Chris Corbin) and inspired reviver of restaurants that immediately became fabulous institutions – the Ivy, the Wolseley – King has honed a genius for hospitality over 45 years.He can tell, he believes, when there is a full moon, because the noise in the dining room is a little more skittish. And, he suggests, he can sense without looking, as soon as he walks through the door, if there is a properly famous person dining in that corner (there usually is), or if there is a high-stakes business lunch over there, or if “a couple who really shouldn’t be having lunch together, are having lunch together”.He has chosen to eat today at Maison François, a French brasserie just off Jermyn Street, and not far from his own recently opened restaurant, Arlington, on the site of his first love Le Caprice

September152024
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Rahel Stephanie’s secret ingredient: pandan

Pandan, thought to originate from Indonesia’s Maluku Islands, is used across south-east Asia. It has a vanilla-esque aroma, notes of rose or coconut, and fresh leaves have that grassiness you get with matcha. You can get it fresh from south-east Asian grocers, and it freezes well.It’s a trending ingredient in desserts and drinks. But in Indonesian cuisine, and others, it’s used a lot in savouries

September152024