Sir, - In a report in the November 28th edition of your newspaper headed "Infighting by rail unions leaves the public stranded", Joe Humphreys informs us that management "place the blame for the disruption firmly on Mr Ogle's organisation." Elsewhere in the same edition of your newspaper I am accurately quoted as having said: "I want to make it clear that we are totally opposed to this futile and self-defeating action."
The formation of the Irish Locomotive Drivers Association is perceived as a threat by CIE management because as a body it is built on democracy and accountability. This will ensure that all our future dealings with management will be conducted by people properly mandated to negotiate in the honest and straightforward manner necessary for a fair and equitable resolution to any issue in dispute.
Unfortunately, this approach is not seen as positive by a management steeped in a "victory or defeat" industrial relations culture which has contrived to make CIE the worst managed and least efficient of all the semi-State bodies. It is to be hoped that management deals with its "hang-ups" sooner rather than later, but in the meantime let the blame for the recent disruption lie firmly and squarely where it belongs: with SIPTU, NBRU and management in CIE. - Yours, etc., Brendan Ogle, Chairman, Locomotive Drivers Association,
Baylough, Athlone, Co Westmeath.