Siptu calls off Luas strikes planned for Thursday and Friday

Luas strikes due to take place on Thursday and Friday have been called off pending further talks, Siptu has confirmed.

The union said it has accepted an invitation issued via the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) to attend a meeting with Luas operator Transdev at the Labour Court on Thursday.

Commuters faced two further days of disruption in relation to a dispute over Luas drivers’ pay demands- a four-hour stoppage on Thursday followed by a full-day strike on Friday- but the service is now expected to operate as per normal on both days.

A short statement from Siptu organiser Owen Reidy read: "Given this welcome initiative from the Labour Court the work stoppages by Siptu Luas drivers scheduled for Thursday, 26th May, and Friday, 27th May, have been cancelled.

"Siptu representatives along with members of the Luas Driver Committee and ICTU officials will attend the meeting at the Labour Court."

The statement made no reference to further four-hour strikes due to take place over six days between 2nd and 9th June.

The spate of industrial action, which has affected Luas services over 12 days since February, centres around pay demands from Luas drivers who are seeking increases of about 23 per cent over the next three years.

Three non-driver grades of employees including revenue protection officers, supervisors and traffic supervisors have already accepted pay increases of 13 per cent due to take effect over the next three years, and Transdev has offered the same increase to drivers.

Recent murmurings have suggested that Siptu, which represents the vast majority of Luas drivers, is considering balloting its members for an all-out strike in the future, but union officials have not yet confirmed that this is the case.

New Minister for Transport Shane Ross has indicated that he is unwilling to intervene in the dispute as attempts involving the ICTU and Labour Court continue to avert further disruption.