Union criticised over public transport strike

Ireland’s largest union is attempting to run the country over the head of Government by halting all public transport on Thursday, a leading businessman claimed today.

John Dunne, chief executive of the Chambers of Commerce, said private operators should be allowed to minimise the effect of the bus and rail strike, which threatens to cause transport chaos on the day after the national St Patrick’s Day holiday.

Workers at the state-owned public transport company, CIE, are to hold 24-hour strike action in protest at what they claim is a lack of meaningful talks on the future of the company.

SIPTU staff at Dublin, Shannon and Cork Airports will hold a six-hour work stoppage from 7.30am to 1.30pm to coincide with the move.

Mr Dunne said SIPTU were attempting to run the country, rather than allowing the Government to implement its policies.

“I’m not implying that they (SIPTU) are doing it, I’m implying they are trying to,” he said.

Mr Dunne called on Transport Minister Seamus Brennan to allow private bus operators to pick up passengers on routes which are currently served exclusively by the state-owned Dublin Bus company until the dispute is resolved.

“We are suggesting to the Minister that he might consider changing the orders which allow those private operators to run their routes, to allow them to pick up passengers,” he said.

“And because the unions have put us on notice that this is going to be a recurring problem, we’re saying he should make that an open-ended order and simply allow those buses to pick up passengers all along the route from now until this dispute is resolved.”

Mr Dunne insisted the transport sector had to be opened up to private operators to allow for more competition.

“We need to get a situation where this is resolved and it can only be resolved in one way, and that is where Government policy prevails,” he told RTÉ radio.

“It is absolutely appropriate for any trade union to be representing its members, to be in there fighting with Government, but all that’s being proved by these actions is that competition is not only justified, it is absolutely vital because at the moment we have a monopoly.”

The strike is the latest move in a campaign of protest at the pace of talks on the future of CIÉ and the proposed privatisation of some routes.

SIPTU National Industrial Secretary Michael Halpenny has insisted the union deferred industrial action on a number of prior occasions in order to allow the talks process to continue.

Mr Halpenny has also apologised for the inconvenience caused to the public but insisted the lack of meaningful progress on talks and remarks by the Minister had raised questions about security of employment and terms and conditions of employment for transport workers.