Rail strike threat after union says no to cuts
Overall, the rail company wants to find €8.5m in savings. It has said the targeted savings are essential for its financial solvency as well as for the protection of customer services and the security of its workforce’s employment.
After its more than 1,700 members rejected the savings plan by 51% to 49%, Siptu said its members would be balloting on strike action, which would be undertaken if management tried to implement changes to workers’ terms and conditions without agreement.
Siptu organiser Paul Cullen, said: “Our members have found this recommendation as it currently stands unacceptable. We would now ask the company to reflect on this rejection of the recommendation. Siptu representatives will be in contact with the management of Irish Rail in the coming days to discuss our members’ position.”
Iarnród Éireann said it welcomed the decision of another union at the company, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA). It backed the savings plan by 72% to 28%.
“However, it is regretted that the proposals have not been supported by SIPTU, albeit by a very narrow margin,” an Iarnród Éireann spokesman said.
“The TEEU/Unite and NBRU trade union ballots are currently underway, with results expected this Friday in the case of TEEU/Unite and next week in the case of NBRU. The company will consider the outcomes at the conclusion of the TEEU/ Unite and NBRU ballots on the Labour Court recommendation,” the spokesman said.
In a joint statement, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and Public Transport Minister of State Alan Kelly, said they were disappointed with the outcome of the Siptu ballot.
The Department of Transport pointed out that negotiations between the company and unions had been ongoing for over a year and recommendations had been made by the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court.
It pointed out the Labour Court had concluded that the measures sought by the company were “unavoidable if the future of the company and the employment that it maintains is to be protected”.
There have already been substantial fare increases and the payroll savings must happen in the context of the very difficult financial challenges that the company faces,” the department said.”
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has published a draft national aviation policy which could see the country developing new routes to emerging markets as well as bringing more airlines into the country.
Announcing a consultation on the new plan, Mr Varadkar said the Government wanted to facilitate further expansion of the aviation industry, making it more competitive and stimulating growth to all airports.
The sector is currently worth €4.1bn and supports 26,000 jobs.
“One of my priorities as Minister for Transport is to ensure that the aviation sector achieves its potential, for the benefit of the aviation industry and for the wider economy.
“That’s why I am developing the first aviation framework policy in more than two decades,” Mr Varadkar said.
Priorities in the draft policy include:
- Developing new routes and services, particularly to new and emerging markets;
- Taking a liberal approach to “fifth freedoms” in order to encourage more airlines into Ireland and ensuring a high level of competition among airlines operating in the Irish market;
- The development of Dublin Airport as a secondary hub airport for transit to the US for passengers from Britain and across the EU;
- Developing a business case to designate Shannon Airport as an aero-industrial hub, particularly as a European gateway to the US in association with the International Aviation Services Centre;
- The organisation of PSO competitions for Donegal-Dublin and Kerry-Dublin services in 2015.
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