[Article] Train drivers set to serve strike notice

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/2110768?view=Eircomnet

Train drivers set to serve strike notice
From:ireland.com
Monday, 8th December, 2003

Train drivers are expected to serve notice today of a series of one-day strikes that could disrupt services as early as next Monday.

About 100 former members of the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association (ILDA) have been balloting for the past week on the threatened action, due to begin with a one-day stoppage next Monday.

The drivers are now members of the 3/57 branch of the ATGWU.

Senior officials of the union may decline to sanction the action, but the branch secretary, Mr Brendan Ogle, says the strikes would proceed in any case.

"The only question is whether they would be official or unofficial, and the only thing that turns on that is the question of strike pay."

The branch, he said, would have "quite a number of things to consider" after the ballot was counted today.

Drivers voted on a motion which calls for a series of one-day work stoppages to begin on December 15th and continue on dates to be fixed by the branch committee.

Between a quarter and a third of mainline rail drivers - the precise numbers are disputed by the company and the branch - are involved in the dispute.

DART services would not be affected.

The dispute is over the company's refusal to negotiate with the ATGWU branch on the introduction next week of rosters to facilitate an expansion of rail services.

Iarnród Éireann recognises two unions as having negotiating rights for train drivers, SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU).

Its stance is effectively backed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which says SIPTU has an established "sphere of influence" in the sector.

ICTU officials are likely to be involved in behind-the-scenes attempts this week to resolve the inter-union issues involved.

An ICTU disputes committee, however, has already ruled that the ATGWU does not have the right to organise train drivers.

If strike notice is served today, Iarnród Éireann says it will take legal action to try to prevent the action from going ahead. This is likely to focus on whether the ballot was properly authorised by the ATGWU.

Mr John Keenan, the company's human resources manager, said the manner in which the ballot had been organised was "a key question" which the courts would be asked to consider.

Mr Ogle said there would be no question marks over the legality of the strike once notice was properly served on the company.

He said that his union had a number of innovative proposals which it was prepared to put to both the ICTU and SIPTU with a view to resolving the inter-union issues.

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/2117678?view=Eircomnet

Threat of train strike averted as drivers take court route
From:ireland.com
Tuesday, 9th December, 2003

A threat of disruption to rail services was lifted yesterday when train drivers deferred plans for a series of one-day strikes.

Instead, the former members of the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association (ILDA) are to take Iarnród Éireann to court over its refusal to negotiate with them. The company recognises two unions only as having negotiating rights for drivers - SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU). Its stance is backed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

The 100-odd former ILDA drivers, who disrupted services for 10 weeks in 2000, are now members of the 3/57 branch of the ATGWU. It announced yesterday that members had voted by a 92 per cent majority for industrial action.

It had intended to begin a series of one-day strikes next Monday, but has instead decided to issue High Court proceedings against the company this week.

The union's highest-ranking official in the Republic, however, Mr John Bolger, said no such decision had been taken by the union.

Any proposal to take legal action would have to be considered by him as district secretary and, after that, by the union's Belfast-based regional secretary, Mr Brendan Hodgers.

He said he was "very relieved", however, that the branch had decided not to proceed with its planned strikes.

Iarnród Éireann also said it was "pleased" that the strike threat had been lifted and that it would be able to deliver a range of improved services from next week.

The addition of 80 new rail cars means that capacity on mainline commuter services will increase by between 25 and 43 per cent, it says. New timetables and additional services are also being introduced on a number of inter-city routes.

As a result of the changes, new rosters - negotiated by the company with SIPTU and the NBRU - will be introduced for drivers.

The 3/57 branch, which represents between a quarter and a third of mainline train drivers, says its members will work the rosters under protest.

The ILDA, which was formed in 1998 from a breakaway group of SIPTU and NBRU members, lost a previous case in the Supreme Court concerning its status as a trade union.

The branch is to take a new case arguing that it is legally entitled to be recognised by the company now that it is part of the ATGWU.

The issue, however, has the potential to deepen existing divisions in the ATGWU and drive a wedge between it and other unions.

An ICTU disputes committee has already found that SIPTU is the only congress union that has the right to organise train drivers. The NBRU is not in the ICTU.

The decision of the 3/57 branch to organise a strike ballot led to a swift response from SIPTU president Mr Jack O'Connor, who wrote to Mr Bolger about the matter and also referred it to the ICTU.

Within the ATGWU, the 3/57 branch secretary, Mr Brendan Ogle and its servicing officer, Mr Mick O'Reilly, are at odds with the union's Irish leadership.

Mr Bolger's insistence that no decision had been taken to pursue a legal case, despite the branch's statement to the contrary, reflected the current divisions.

He had also claimed that strike action could leave the union exposed to a multi-million euro damages claim from Iarnród Éireann, and the prospect of expulsion from the ICTU.

Mr Ogle and Mr O'Reilly, however, would expect to have the support of the union's London-based general secretary, Mr Tony Woodley. Mr Woodley would have the final say on whether to sanction any action by the branch.

FinoBlad

so much for yesterdays muttering from ogle

Senior officials of the union may decline to sanction the action, but the branch secretary, Mr Brendan Ogle, says the strikes would proceed in any case.

I think they'd be lynched by the general public too if they went ahead, such arrogance!