ALTHOUGH the CIE unions have instructed members to work normally today there is a serious possibility of disruption of services, especially in the Dublin area. Intercity train services are also likely to be affected with the greatest risk on the Dublin-Galway, Sligo and Westport routes.
The company's threat of legal action against the unions, if they go ahead with their protest action this morning, has actually served to destabilise the situation. The unions involved, SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union, have told members to work normally, but a number of rank-and-file-groups have sprung up urging CIE workers to take to the streets. They are calling on workers to use the opportunity to voice their opposition to proposed cuts of £44 million in operational costs by CIE.
It remains to be seen how much support they receive. Iarnrod Eireann appears to be taking the risk of disruption most seriously. Possibly because one of the most organised rank-and-file groups is the cross-union Locomotive Drivers Association which met in Dublin yesterday to discuss its options today.
Meanwhile passengers on the 4.50 p.m. train from Dublin to Galway yesterday were told on the intercom that there might be no return service today. Last night Iarnrod Eireann was advising prospective passengers on all routes to check with local stations, or the company's special information line (tel 1850 366222).
The DART service is expected to run fairly normally this morning, but there may be delays, especially later in the day when the protest march crosses the city. It will set off at 11.15 a.m. from Parnell Square for the Dail.
Dublin Bus says it expects morning and evening services to operate normally. There may be minor disruption of services during the protest march but this is not expected to be significant.
Bus Eireann says it expects all services to operate normally. "The trade unions have assured us that the protests are not going to take place. Any protest will only inconvenience customers and help our competitors."
However, the general secretary of the NBRU, Mr Peter Bunting, said last night: "I am appealing to members to work normally. But threats of legal action do not help the situation. They are absolutely worthless as far as workers are concerned.
"The company's action has taken away control of the situation from the trade union movement and given it to ad-hoc groups, to which it also gives credence. It would have been far better to have had a controlled stoppage and organised return to work than unpredictable anarchy."
SIPTU declined to comment, but was clearly unhappy with the situation. There is also a feeling among unions that the order to threaten them with legal action if they went ahead with the protest came front the highest levels within CIE, even though the warnings were issued through the three subsidiary companies.
A spokesman for CIE declined to comment on this last night.