CIE unions agree series of strike actions

CIE UNIONS yesterday agreed a series of strike actions commencing next month as they intensified their battle over Transport Minister Séamus Brennan’s plans to break up the company.

However, in a bid to pacify transport users, train and bus drivers will refuse to charge fares and instead hand out information leaflets on the first day of action, planned for July 18.

A full day strike and national day of protest will then take place on August 19 with additional one day stoppages planned for the following months. All CIE companies Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann will participate in the industrial action. The companies have a combined staff of close to 3,500 nationwide who fear a breakup would involve significant redundancies.

Mr Brennan wants the holding company in CIE to be dissolved into three companies established independently as State companies so they can compete with each other. He also plans to have 25% of Dublin Bus routes opened to competition by next January.

SIPTU National Industrial Secretary Noel Dowling said CIE employees had gone through enough uncertainty. "They are extremely angry. They all feel they're under the weight of insecurity. There are people with mortgages who don't know what the future is," he said.

National Bus and Railworkers' Union (NBRU) general secretary Liam Tobin said Dublin Bus was one of the most productive bus operations in Europe.

"We are incensed, particularly because we have solid evidence from Europe to show that Dublin Bus is actually the top bus operator in Europe," he said.

"We see this as a long term campaign which during the EU presidency could include strikes to coincide with European transport ministers' meetings," warned Mr Dowling, adding that the unions had timed the actions to avoid disruption during exams and the Special Olympics.

A spokesperson for Mr Brennan said he was surprised and disappointed at the announcement and insisted the core of the ministers' proposals were aimed at giving consumers more choice and better value for money.

"It is hardly revolutionary in the 21st Century to take the view that no one company can have a monopoly on transport services," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Brennan told the Dáil the journey from Tralee to Dublin will be reduced by 40 minutes and from Cork to Dublin by up to 30 minutes by 2008.