Dispute holds up key rail upgrades

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN has postponed key upgrading of railway stations in Cork because of an unofficial dispute, which is also holding up track laying on the €105 million Cork-Midleton line.

The company was due to close the Cork-Cobh line last night, for seven weeks, as part of a €5m project which included upgrading 11 platforms and six stations along that route. This closure was due to run in conjunction with the commencement of track laying from the Glounthaune junction to Midleton.

But 14 rail maintenance workers have been mounting a 24-hour picket at the Glounthaune junction since September 23 and show no signs of disbanding it.

A company spokesman said the unofficial action by the men had forced it to temporarily abandon its plans to carry out station and platform refurbishment on the Cork-Cobh line. It had been intended to replace the trains with a bus service to and from Cobh, but trains will now run on normal schedule until further notice. The rail maintenance workers maintain that they should be laying the new track along the Midleton line.

However, on August 28 last, the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) ruled that the job was to be carried out by the contractor and Iarnród Éireann’s new works staff. The company maintains the LRC ruling also included an agreement to allow a special train to deliver track to the Glounthaune junction.

Iarnród Éireann management maintain the LRC agreement also allowed it to carry out upgrading works on the Cork-Cobh line.

SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union are not supporting the unofficial action.