Rail passengers face more disruption this summer because of a dispute by locomotive drivers over the rejection by the Labour Court of a DART drivers’ parity claim and the planned introduction of a new Maynooth service, on August 13th.
The joint national negotiating committees of the two main drivers’ unions, SIPTU and the NBRU, have recommended rejection of the Labour Court’s rejection of the mainline drivers’ catch-up claim. Balloting of members is due to begin next week.
Meanwhile SIPTU branch secretary Mr Tony Tobin has accused Iarnród Éireann management of precipitating a dispute by announcing the new Maynooth service without what he said was any agreement or consultation on rosters or operation.
Mr Tobin said the Maynooth service would not go ahead because of the lack of agreement, but Iarnód Éireann human resources manager Mr John Keenan said the unions were holding customer’s to ransom over their claims.
Speaking on RTE Radiothis morning, Mr Keenan said industrial action last year had cost the company over £10 million. He said the Labour Court's recommendation made it very clear that mainline drivers had no basis for concession on their parity claim.
Mr Keenan also said a report by a "high level review group" within Iarnród Éireann stated that holding up the new Maynooth service "was akin to holding the company and its customers to ransom."
SIPTU is meeting this morning to discuss the situation.