Airport staff to join bus and rail strike

Visitors planning to travel to Ireland to celebrate St Patrick’s Day face transport chaos tonight after airport staff voted to join bus and rail workers in strike action on the day after the national holiday.

Staff at Dublin, Shannon and Cork Airports will hold a six-hour work stoppage from 7.30am to 1.30pm on March 18 to coincide with a move by employees at the state-owned public transport company, CIE.

Limited stoppages are also planned at the three airports on April 2, 20 and 26 in protest at the reform of the public transport system.

SIPTU, Ireland’s largest union, claim Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has refused to engage in meaningful talks on the break-up of Aer Rianta, the governing body of all three airports.

The union’s National Industrial Secretary Michael Halpenny said the action at the airports would focus on the Ireland’s term in the EU Presidency.

“On January 19, the Minister wrote to the unions and promised there would be an opportunity to examine key financial information – including any business plans – supporting the proposed break up of Aer Rianta, before moving to legislation,” he said.

“Regrettably in the intervening period, the Minister publicly stated his intention to introduce legislation by the end of the current Dáil session, ie, by the end of this month.

“Furthermore – despite being specifically requested not to do so – he announced the interim Board for the Dublin Airport Authority and said that legislation is already drafted, even before the commencement of the promised examination of figures.

“The Minister also promised progress on the issue of Shannon’s future and indicated that any proposals for Shannon Airport would be as good, if not better than the current situation.

"Unfortunately, none of this has come to pass.”

Mr Halpenny said the union had already deferred industrial action on a number of prior occasions in order to allow the talks process to continue.

“The planned work stoppage on March 18 will be followed by further limited stoppages on April 2, 20 and 26 – all aimed at the EU presidency meetings,” he added.

The union announced yesterday that it was staging a 24-hour work stoppage to hit bus and rail services across the state on March 18.

This strike is in protest at the pace of talks on the future of CIE and the privatisation of some routes.

The two strike actions will hit those travelling to, from and around Ireland for St Patrick’s Day and delegates attending an EU summit in Dublin.

Mr Brennan earlier called on CIÉ union leaders to reconsider their decision to go ahead with strike action in Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann while talks were continuing.

“There is absolutely no need for this whatsoever,” he said.

“In three weeks we have had seven official meetings between the Department of Transport and the unions.”

However, with the support of the airport workers it is now expected both strikes will go ahead.

Mr Halpenny said Mr Brennan reiterated his commitment to franchising some routes, despite union opposition at last weekend’s Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.

“We regret the inconvenience that this action may cause to the travelling public but believe the lack of meaningful progress on talks and the minister’s contradictory remarks has once again raised questions about security of employment and terms and conditions of employment for transport workers, in the event of any opening up of the bus market to private competition,” he added.