Commuters facing waves of rail strikes
Unions and management in last-ditch talks today
RAIL commuters face a wave of strikes if last-ditch talks between unions and management fail today.
Union sources last night indicated that should the talks at the Workplace Relations Commission not result in a promise to increase pay, there will be a series of short work stoppages within days.
The National Bus and Rail Union and Siptu last night said that a ballot of their members for industrial action is currently underway. The results of these are due to be counted tomorrow, but it is expected that they will produce results in favour of taking action. It is understood that the unions are seeking pay increases in line with the 3.75% annual rises already secured by unions and workers at Luas and Dublin Bus.
Dermot O’Leary, general secretary of the NBRU, said the workers are ‘now seeking management to come to the table with a mandate Negotiations: Dermot O’Leary to negotiate tangible pay improvements’. He said they have accepted the invitation just ‘24 hours in advance of the receipt of our members’ anticipated mandate to engage in industrial action in pursuance of this long overdue and well-deserved pay rise’.
Mr O’Leary added: ‘It is only a short few days since front-line workers at Irish Rail were being lauded by the company hierarchy for their efforts towards getting vital economic and social rail services up and running in a matter of hours following Hurricane Ophelia. Those same workers are now seeking management to come to the table with a mandate to negotiate tangible pay improvements.
‘The modus operandi to date of simply turning up to the State institutions and engaging in a futile exercise of kicking the can down the road, by insisting that an efficiency-based pay award is the only show in town, will not pass muster for our members, and will inevitably lead to widespread disruption to all rail services... inclusive of inter-city, commuter and Dart within a matter of days.’
Siptu also confirmed that its representatives will attend the discussions this morning ‘to explore the opportunity to process our members pay claim’.
Paul Cullen, an organiser with the union, said: ‘It is only as a last resort that our members will initiate industrial action. However, a ballot by our members in Irish Rail for industrial action is underway. The counting of this ballot will go ahead on October 20.’
A spokesperson for Irish Rail said: ‘We welcome the invitation from the WRC. We hope we can continue the progress which has been made in our previous engagement at the WRC, albeit we do not underestimate the difficulties ahead. We believe there is a route to better earnings for all colleagues, and hope we have constructive engagement with our trade unions at the WRC.’
It has been indicated that if any announcement is made about industrial action, it will be made tomorrow. It is thought that the unions would favour waves of industrial action spanning several days over a period of six to seven weeks, should this mandate be delivered.
Shorter waves of strike action