Commuters face Monday chaos as CIÉ workers strike

COMMUTERS face rail and bus chaos on Monday when public transport workers step up their battle with Transport Minister Seamus Brennan over his plan to break up CIÉ.

Monday's four-hour protest, beginning at 11am, will hit all provincial bus and rail services as well as Dublin Bus and DART services.

Workers' concerns over job security have been ratcheted up by the minister's failure to formally announce the name of an independent chairperson or a framework for talks on the proposed "franchising" of transport services.

The National Bus and Rail workers' Union (NBRU) said the minster's approach to industrial relations was "bizarre".

Two planned days of action include a national protest and an all-out strike on consecutive Mondays. The union insisted the day of protest will proceed, although the planned shutdown of public transport services on Monday week could be averted if the minister gave a firm commitment to a framework for talks.

A spokesman for the minister said the NBRU decision on industrial action came as a surprise.

Describing the planned action as premature, the spokesman said talks between the unions and the department were ongoing.

However, NBRU general secretary Liam Tobin said more than 4,500 workers are determined to demonstrate their depth of anger.

"We have members refused mortgages because lending agencies are confused about the future job security of CIÉ workers.

"Members with mortgages are themselves worried about their future ability to repay their loans given Mr Brennan's stop-start tactics."

The NBRU said industrial action was forced on the workers due to the failure of the minister to honour commitments on talks, first promised on January 8 last.

"Our last serious meeting with the minister was on January 26," he said. "The minister promised at that stage to provide a talks process to address our issues within a tight timeframe under an independent chairperson.

"We have heard nothing from him since and when we phone his department, the repeated response is the matter is being considered."

Mr Tobin said strike action was deferred early last month in response to an urgent request from Mr Brennan to enter into talks.

"We responded positively to his request, despite previous experiences of dealing with Mr Brennan, due to the seriousness of the issues for our members and the travelling public.

"However, we now have a lot of members seriously concerned at their future because of the uncertainty bred by Mr Brennan's bizarre approach to industrial relations."

He added: "We entered this process in good faith but we now understand that the independent chairperson proposed by the unions for the talks has not even been approached by the department.

"We cannot continue to allow our members to be treated in this appalling fashion."

The department said yesterday an announcement was imminent.

"The department is waiting for advice on a recommendation and it is expected that will be coming through in the next day or two," said a spokesperson.