Talks aimed at averting rail strike to resume on Tuesday

Talks aimed at averting planned industrial action on the railways will resume on Tuesday morning.

Iarnród Éireann and two unions, the National Bus and Rail Union and Siptu, met at the Workplace Relations Commission (formerly the Labour Relations Commission) on Monday.

The dispute centres on a claim for payment for past productivity measures by train drivers.

Two Friday work stoppages are planned by the drivers, on October 23rd and November 6th. They would both last for three hours, from 6am to 9am.

A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said there had been “positive engagement” during the talks on Monday.

“We hope we can address the issues surrounding productivity and generate a return for company and employees alike with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission.

“We hope that any disruption can be averted so services are delivered without interruption,” he added.

Paul Cullen of Siptu said both unions had outlined their positions and heard the company’s position.

‘Positive enough’

Asked whether the day’s talks had been positive, he said they had been “positive enough to continue with the discussions”.

Dermot O’Leary of the National Bus and Rail Union said the union had engaged in the talks on the basis this would be an “all-encompassing discussion” including the past productivity of its members.

He said both sides had been asked by the Workplace Relations Commission to reflect on the other side’s positions ahead of Tuesday’s talks.

The unions maintain Iarnród Éireann has refused to engage in discussions on past productivity, despite this being part of an agreement reached in September 2014.

Iarnród Éireann has said it would be prepared to share benefits arising from future productivity measures but it cannot afford to pay for measures put in place up to 15 years ago.

It said the company was still losing €1 million per month.