CIE unions defer strikes after meeting
The first of the disruptions a protest march at peak travel times was due to take place next Tuesday as part of a sustained protest action against Minister for Transport Seamus Brennan's proposals to break-up of the State transport company.
Further actions were to follow in September, October and November, culminating with a two-day strike beginning on December 8. Last month's "no-fares day" is estimated to have cost CIE around 1.5 million.
Following yesterday's meeting, described as a "productive" and conciliatory, between senior officials at the department and the unions, the parties issued a joint statement stating that they would re-engage in discussions on public transport.
The positive development comes after a five-month period during which the relationship between the unions and Mr Brennan had deteriorated significantly.
Both sides agreed to a phased series of discussions that will take place during September and early October. They will aim to address the concerns of the trade unions over guarantees about the future employees security of CIE employees.
According to the statement, talks will "address the concerns of the trade unions in a meaningful way in the context of securing value for money from public transport services through increased efficiency and better value for customers".
In the light of the resumed negotiations, the unions the National Bus and Railworkers' Union (NBRU) and SIPTU agreed to defer their industrial action pending the outcome of the talks.
Department sources stressed that at no stage during yesterday's meeting had they requested the unions to defer the industrial action.
Significantly, Mr Brennan was not at the meeting and the Department's delegation was led by its secretary general, Julie O'Neill. His relationship with the CIE unions soured last March. They had accused him of telling the media that he intended to go ahead and break up the company, while negotiations with unions were still ongoing.
After yesterday's meeting, NBRU general secretary Liam Tobin said he was hopeful that both sides could at last do business in light of the progress made at yesterday's talks. He said the atmosphere surrounding the talks had been conciliatory.
"We discussed what had happened in the past [the Minister's media interviews in March] and said that any repetition would not go down well with our members.
"Julie O'Neill was very positive in the way she addressed the concerns of the trade union on the basis of providing value for the customers. We have never had any problem with that."
He said, however, that the unions had got no indication that the minister intended to row back on his decision to break up CIE.
"It is an open situation. His position has not changed. Neither has our. But we do have a process where our significant concerns will be taken on board," he said.
