Everybody needs to compromise in Luas dispute, says SIPTU's Owen Reidy
Luas drivers are on their eighth day of strike action today, in ongoing row over pay, with their union saying all parties need to step back and take stock.
The latest 48-hour strike comes as both sides in the dispute - SIPTU and Transdev - remain deadlocked after workers rejected a deal brokered at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
Another two days of industrial action is planned for later this month.
SIPTU's Owen Reidy said that at this stage everybody needed to compromise.
"Ultimately what everybody needs to do is step back and reflect on where we're at," he said.
"Everybody needs to compromise. It's quite clear that, notwithstanding the efforts of the WRC, their proposals did not get the support of the drivers.
"We need to look at the reasons why and look to see whether they can be addressed, and I hope they can."
The drivers rejected the WRC proposals for an 18% pay rise by almost 100% last week. Drivers told their union the reasons for the rejection included:
- Drivers did not want to accept a new pay scale that leaves new entrants on lower pay than current staff.
- Drivers are of the view that the productivity sought in the proposal was disproportionate and vague in the case of the Luas extension.
- Drivers also expressed concern that they did not trust how management would implement such productivity measures.
Transdev said the money does not exist to raise the offer.
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He suggested a five-day Luas service may have to be looked at, and that most union officials who received the 18% proposal would have taken it back to their members and would have received a standing ovation.
JackO'Connor accused him of bias against the union and called on him to step down, which Mr Mulvey rejected outright.
