Strike chaos still looms

THE PROSPECT of widespread public transport chaos remained last night as SIPTU representatives at CIÉ failed to reach an agreement to call off tomorrow’s planned 24-hour stoppage.

Despite last-minute assurances from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, which saw SIPTU call off a six-hour stoppage at Aer Rianta’s Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, union officials at CIE broke from discussions last night without reaching agreement. Talks resume at 2pm today.

Uncertainty hangs over up to 500,000 public transport users pending the outcome of last night’s talks.

Sister union the NBRU has said it is happy with the progress of talks with the Department of Transport.

Following written reassurances from Mr Ahern, SIPTU president Jack O’Connor confirmed yesterday strike action at Aer Rianta had been called off.

However, the possibility of industrial action still lingers as SIPTU’s Aer Rianta branch members remain angry at plans to break up the company.

“The strike has been called off by the officers of the union in accordance of our rules but people are very very aggrieved and rightly so because they feel their livelihoods are being threatened,” Mr O’Connor said.

The planned six-hour stoppage at Aer Rianta’s three airports, coming on one of the busiest air travel days of the year, would have affected more than 21,000 passengers on 165 flights.

Mr Ahern’s initial letter assured SIPTU that standards of employment would be protected at Aer Rianta and committed the Government to waiting until after Easter before publishing the legislation required to break up the company.

Mr O’Connor wrote again to Mr Ahern last night seeking further clarifications on his assurances.

However, a Government spokesman said there would be no response to requests for further clarification.

Fine Gael transport spokesman Denis Naughten said there was no excuse for either of SIPTU’s planned strikes and attacked Transport Minister Seamus Brennan’s credibility.

“The fact the SIPTU leadership had to ask the Taoiseach to intervene in its own strike action proves how ineffective Seamus Brennan has become,” he said.