DART and rail may be disrupted on Tuesday

Mainline rail and DART services could be brought to a halt next Tuesday if a threatened unofficial stoppage by train drivers …

Mainline rail and DART services could be brought to a halt next Tuesday if a threatened unofficial stoppage by train drivers goes ahead.

The drivers say they are taking their unofficial action because of dissatisfaction with what they describe as the lack of progress in the long-running talks on Iarnrod Eireann's viability plan.

Talks between the unions and management ended without agreement yesterday. Afterwards, a number of drivers said they would bring the rail service, including the DART service, to a stop next Tuesday.

One driver said it was going to be the "chu-chu flu" similar to the gardai's "blue flu". However, another driver told The Irish Times that they would not be going out on sick leave, that it was an unofficial stoppage.

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The spokesman for the drivers said their action was unofficial but stressed it was due to the frustration of drivers over the intransigence of management. He said they were confident they would get the full support of the 300 drivers on the mainline and DART services for their unofficial action.

Mr Peter Bunting, of the National Rail and Bus Union, said he had heard some drivers were going to take action, but this was an unofficial move by the men and the unions were not involved.

A spokesman for the company said last night he regretted the reports of the threatened unofficial action. He believed an agreement could be reached between the company and the unions.

He did not accept that the talks had broken down and believed they would now continue through the Labour Relations Commission. He said the proposals being put forward would improve the conditions and wages of the drivers.

Separate talks between the unions and Dublin Bus were more successful yesterday and new proposals put forward will now go to another ballot of the workers. Mr Bunting, of the National Rail and Bus Union, said the proposals put forward by the company would now go before the branch committee.