CIÉ bosses count cost of no fares day

CIÉ bosses were counting the cost of yesterday’s no-fares-day action by unions.

Despite predictions of chaos as staff refused to take fares in protest at the proposed break-up of CIÉ into three separate companies, public transport services operated normally on what was expected to be a busy day anyway.

While some people took advantage of the free travel, others decided not to risk being left behind.

Iarnród Éireann spokesperson Barry Kenny said they would have to explore ways of recovering the money lost. “All options will be considered,” he said.

Fine Gael’s Olivia Mitchell said taxpayers should not end up footing the €1.2 million bill for the “PR stunt” organised by CIÉ workers yesterday. She suggested that one of three options should be taken to recoup all money lost:

lTake disciplinary action against staff who participated in the protest and dock them a day’s wages.

lSeek compensation from the unions who authorised and organised the action.

lDefer future pay awards, in part or in full, for workers involved in the action.

“An extremely dangerous precedent has been set with this unwarranted industrial action,” she said.

The main CIÉ unions said the no fares day was one of a series of protests against plans to break up the company.

On Tuesday, August 19, protest marches will be staged between peak travel times. A similar protest took place last January when the country was without public transport for four hours.

One-day strikes will be held on September 16, October 14 and November 18, followed by a two-day strike on December 8-9.

Assistant general secretary of the National Rail and Bus Workers Union Michael Flaherty said they were upset that the proposal to break up CIÉ and privatise bus routes had been presented as a done deal without any consideration of the issues involved.

“Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has to sit down with us and discuss staff implications and other associated issues,” Mr Flaherty insisted.

SIPTU national industrial secretary Noel Dowling said the no fares day was about triggering public debate on the merits of Mr Brennan’s proposals and had succeeded in doing that.

“We cannot engage the minister in debate. He just uses soundbytes all the time,” said Mr Dowling.

Employers’ body IBEC described yesterday’s protest as irresponsible. They said the unions’ reluctance to embrace change and competition in public transport is unfortunate and is not in keeping with the needs of a modern economy trying to attract foreign investment.