Siptu members vote for industrial action at Irish Rail

Members of Siptu, the largest drivers’ union in Irish Rail, have voted in favour of industrial action in the event the company pushes through cost savings without agreement — but they are not prepared to go on strike at this stage.

The transport company says it needs to find €8.5m in savings of which €4.7m should come from the staff pay bill. It says it is facing an “ongoing financial crisis” and there is an urgent need to secure payroll savings, as part of an overall effort to prevent financial insolvency. Both its driver unions, Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union, have rejected a Labour Court recommendation which involved pay cuts, redundancies and restructuring at the company.

Yesterday Siptu members voted by 66% to 34% in favour of industrial action in the event the savings are imposed unilaterally. They also voted 64% to 36% against strike action.

Union organiser Paul Cullen said, “We met with the senior management of the company this afternoon and we suggested that this is a time for calm reflection and cool heads. We also suggested the parties should consider a process that was successfully used in resolving the Dublin Bus restructuring whereby two independent facilitators assisted the management and unions in resolving their issues in a short timeframe.”

Irish Rail management said it had met with all its staff unions yesterday to review the outcome of all ballots.

“The company committed to contact the trade unions further in the coming days to advise of its proposed course of action,” it said. “The company notes the outcome of the Siptu ballots on industrial action.”