Rail chaos averted as driver row heads for courts

RAIL chaos has been averted with yesterday’s decision by train drivers at Iarnród Éireann not to strike and their ATGWU branch has decided to try to resolve the row in the courts.

Drivers had voted by a margin of 92% for industrial action in pursuit of negotiating rights on behalf of a minority of drivers in the company.

Yesterday, the union decided to try to resolve the matter in the courts rather than by industrial action with the ATGWU expected to issue High Court proceedings against Iarnród Éireann later this week.

In the meantime, the drivers have agreed to work new rosters from next Monday, but under protest.

Meanwhile, union official Brendan Ogle has accused Iarnród Éireann of seeking to embroil the union in a dispute “that was damaging to members, to the company and most of all to the travelling public.”

About 100 former members of the Irish Locomotive Drivers’ Association (ILDA) had been balloting on proposed industrial action beginning with a one-day stoppage next Monday.

The dispute is centred on the company’s refusal to negotiate with the ATGWU branch on the introduction next week of rosters to facilitate an expansion of rail services.

The former ILDA drivers have also been engaged in a bitter dispute over union recognition for several years since they left SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) to form ILDA in 1998.

Since then Irish Rail, the other unions and ICTU have refused to recognise or negotiate with the ILDA drivers who now form the 3/57 branch of the ATGWU.

Both ICTU and the High Court have endorsed this position and told the ATGWU they have no right to represent the former ILDA drivers.

However, led by Mr Ogle, the drivers continue to seek recognition.