Talks in effort to avert rail strikes

Management and trade unions representing drivers at Irish Rail will return to the talks table today as efforts continue to avert a bank holiday weekend strike.

The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) has accepted an invitation to attend talks at the Workplace Relations Commission.

NBRU general secretary Dermot O’Leary said they had accepted the invitation “on the basis that the full compliment of issues associated with the productivity agenda, inclusive of previous contributions of train drivers will be addressed”.

Mr O’Leary said there was an expectation from members that their issues would be given the same consideration as those of the company.

Drivers who are members of the NBRU and Siptu are due to stage a rush hour stoppage from 6am to 9am next Friday, and again on Friday, November 6, affecting Dart, commuter and intercity services.

A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said last night that the company “remained open to re-engagement” but “cannot currently guarantee services across DART, Commuter and Intercity on the mornings of 23rd October and 6th November”.

Talks broke down at the commission in the early hours of Saturday morning.