High-tech trains to begin operating next week

Their introduction last Monday had precipitated a two-day unofficial strike around the country, leaving up to 80,000 people stranded and costing an estimated €1 million.

A joint statement issued yesterday evening by Iarnród Éireann, Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said the Joint National Locomotive Drivers Committee had unanimously agreed to recommend that the introduction of the new "Mark Four" trains should begin next Monday and that, in the interval, the unions would consult with their members.

The statement also said that a joint trade union/management agenda and schedule for facilitated meetings to discuss issues affecting locomotive drivers nationally was agreed.

Rail services returned to normal yesterday following the unofficial industrial action.The strike was called off after over 14 hours of negotiations on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning between Siptu and the NBRU, and industrial relations consultant Phil Flynn.

Industrial action began on Monday when two Cork-based drivers refused to operate a new high-tech train that the company had planned to bring into service on the Cork-Dublin route.

The action then spread with drivers based in Athlone and Galway joining those in Dublin, Cork and Limerick who had stopped working on Monday in support of their two colleagues.

As a result, there were no services between Heuston Station in Dublin and Cork, Galway or Westport, while only one train ran between Dublin and Limerick.

The company had planned the introduction of the Mark Four trains as part of a €117 million upgrade of services on the Dublin-Cork line. But drivers said the trains should not have been introduced until outstanding issues, such as the application of new safety standards, had been resolved. Yesterday's discussions between the union representatives, Mr Flynn and Iarnród Éireann management lasted almost eight hours.

Minister for Transport Martin Cullen yesterday criticised the strike, saying that such actions had no place in a modern, strong and competitive economy."It is not the way to do business. There are good mechanisms and industrial relations systems in place to deal with all these issues and that is where they should be dealt with," he said.

Asked if he was worried that similar industrial action could occur again when the company sought to introduce further new rolling stock, the Minister said that matters should be resolved before new rolling stock is brought in.