WRC talks hoping to avert bank holiday rail strike

Rail management and unions were locked in talks at the Workplace Relations Commission late last night to try to resolve a pay dispute which threatens to stop all services over the October Bank Holiday weekend.

The sides were far apart going into the talks. Unions had demanded increases of 3.75% without productivity measures in previous discussions at the WRC. That is on a par with the amounts given to Dublin Bus and Luas workers last year on the back of strike action.

Those negotiations broke down when the company, claiming it was on the verge of insolvency, said it was only prepared to offer 1.5% accompanied by a range of demands on staff designed to make them more productive.