Latest: SIPTU members in Irish Rail left with no option other than industrial action set to hit 155,000

Latest: SIPTU members in Irish Rail have been left with no option, due to management intransigence, other than to take industrial action which will commence with a 24-hour work stoppage beginning tomorrow at 00.01 a.m.

Latest: SIPTU members in Irish Rail left with no option other than industrial action set to hit 155,000

Update 6.09pm: SIPTU members in Irish Rail have been left with no option, due to management intransigence, other than to take industrial action which will commence with a 24-hour work stoppage beginning tomorrow at 00.01 a.m.

SIPTU TEAC Division Organiser, Greg Ennis, said: “Irish Rail workers would prefer to be providing a service to customers than be on a picket line. However, they have been forced to take this action due to the failure of management and the Government to deal with their concerns about the future of rail transport in Ireland.

“In taking this action, Irish Rail workers are highlighting their call for urgent action in relation to the underfunding of rail services and for staff to receive their first pay rise in ten years. They have done everything possible to avoid a dispute at the company including the acceptance of temporary pay cuts.”

He added: “It is long past the time for the Government to take its responsibilities concerning the maintenance of a functioning rail network seriously. In recent years, government funding for Irish Rail has fallen by approximately 25%. The 2016 Rail Review Report by the National Transport Authority stated that Irish Rail has a funding gap of approximately €103 million each year from 2017 to 2021.”

SIPTU Organiser, Paul Cullen, said: “Over 1,900 SIPTU members in Irish Rail will be manning picket lines in over 30 locations across the country from midnight tonight. These are workers who are committed to the future of Irish Rail and are only taking this action as a last resort.

“Since 2007, pay-roll costs in Irish Rail have been reduced by 22% with staff numbers decreasing by 1,000. Workers have taken on extra responsibilities without receiving any extra payment.

Irish Rail passenger numbers are now back at 2009 levels with rail operations at the company once again generating profit. Much of these profits are being diverted to cover the maintenance of rail infrastructure due to its chronic underfunding.”

He added: “The cost of living in Ireland has increased significantly in the last ten years. Irish Rail workers are seeking a pay increase which is in line with their colleagues providing other public transport services.”

Irish Rail workers have scheduled further work stoppages to take place on Tuesday 7th November, Tuesday 14th November, Thursday 23rd November and Friday 8th December.

Update 3.39pm:Commuters planning around tomorrow's rail strike are being advised to book buses online today.

Some private operators are running extra routes to deal with the industrial action.

No trains will run tomorrow as part of a strike at Iarnrod Eireann regarding a pay dispute.

The strike is set to affect 155,000 rail passengers when all Dart, Intercity, and commuter rail services are to grind to a halt.

Earlier: Travel chaos is imminent as the first of five 24-hour nationwide rail strikes looks set to go-ahead tomorrow, writes Eoin English.

National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) general secretary Dermot O’Leary said last night he was pessimistic that “any viable alternative” would emerge today to avert the nationwide industrial action which is being staged as part of a pay row.

Up to 155,000 rail passengers are expected to be affected when all Dart, Intercity, and commuter rail services grind to a halt.

Mr O’Leary also suggested that it will take a significant intervention to avert the other four planned national rail strike days that are scheduled to take place across November and December, when workers will withdraw their labour and place pickets at train stations and depots.

Following tomorrow’s industrial action, Irish Rail unions are planning to bring rail services to halt again on Tuesday, November 7, Tuesday, November 14, Thursday, November 23, and Friday, December 8.

The stoppage on November 14 coincides with the Republic of Ireland v Denmark World Cup qualifying play-off in Dublin.

The unions have refused to rule out more strike action above and beyond the five days of strikes already announced.

The NBRU is expected to call today for policymakers in the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority to engage in negotiations that could “assist and enable” the company to return to talks.

Irish Rail workers want a 3.75% a year pay rise over three years to match recent wage increases secured by Luas and Dublin Bus workers.

However, the company’s group of unions, including Siptu, the NBRU, TSSA, and Unite, voted overwhelmingly for strike action earlier this month after talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between company bosses and unions broke down.

The discussions arose from a Labour Court recommendation which stated that if there were outstanding issues at the end of the WRC process, they should be referred back to the Labour Court for a final recommendation.

Mr O’Leary said the talks were very close to a “substantive proposal” which could have averted the strike action. It is understood an offer of a 2.5% pay increase was being discussed.

However, Irish Rail said it had only offered a 1.75% increase for one year — an offer which was linked to performance and absenteeism management, and revisions to redeployment policy.

Meanwhile, Irish Rail has advised customers that it does not expect its Intercity, Dart or commuter rail services to operate tomorrow, and it has outlined a refunds policy for the estimated 155,000 rail passengers — almost half of them Dart passengers — who will be affected on each of the five strike days.

Management has also warned that the proposed and prolonged industrial action will cost the company which is already “dangerously close to insolvency”, with accumulated losses of €160m.

This article first appeared in the Irish Examiner.

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