Luas row continues with further strikes planned

Dublin was without its Luas service again this weekend in the latest two-day stoppage in the extended row over the city’s tram service.

A further two-day strike is planned for Saturday April 23rd and Sunday April 24th.

And Siptu will later this week announce further planned stoppages for May as part of the requirement of 21 days advance notice of stoppages on the light rail system.

Siptu divisional organiser Owen Reidy said on Sunday there had been no further developments in efforts to resolve the dispute.

“There’s been nothing, no initiatives. We’re all talking at each on the radio but I think it’s going to get more embedded.”

Both sides in the dispute over pay and terms and conditions have said they are open to further talks.

Chief executive of the Workplace Relations Commission Kieran Mulvey also said on Sunday evening there had been no developments and he did not anticipate any in the immediate term.

There was a bruising row last week between Mr Mulvey and Siptu president Jack O’Connor, with the latter claiming he had no confidence in the commission’s chief executive’s ability to chair independent dispute settlement talks, a charge Mr Mulvey trenchantly rejected.