Rail strike temporarily averted as picket ends
SIPTU branch official Marie Kearney said the men would return to work today to enable further talks to take place on compensation they are seeking for not being allowed to lay track on the new Cork-Midleton line.
Ms Kearney said compensation settlements for line maintenance workers had been reached in the past on similar rail projects.
The 13 men mounted the picket on the line at Glounthaune two weeks ago, after the Labour Relations Commission decided track laying was to be carried out by the appointed contractor and staff from Iarnród Éireann’s new works department.
Iarnród Éireann management sent out warning letters to the 13 men on Wednesday, advising them they would be dismissed if they did not return to work yesterday.
However, Iarnród Éireann management and SIPTU representatives held talks at Liberty Hall yesterday in an effort to defuse the situation.
Ms Kearney said the men would return to work today to allow further talks to take place on “an overall enabling agreement”, which would include some form of compensation.
But she added, ominously, that if the talks broke down then SIPTU would serve a seven-day strike notice on the company.
SIPTU has 452 line maintenance workers working for Iarnród Éireann and if they decided to strike it would paralyse the country’s rail services.
An Iarnród Éireann spokeswoman said that the men would be dismissed if they did not turn up for work.
She added that if the picket was lifted it would enable the company to send a special train loaded with rail onto the Cork-Midleton line.
The picket had prevented this and put back the opening of the line, which is supposed to become operational next spring.
The company also had to postpone a €5 million upgrading of stations and platforms on the Cork-Cobh line.
It is expected a start-up date for that project will be announced shortly.
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