Irish Rail Industrial Action

Poxyshamrock · 13-10-2007 11:07pm #1

POSSIBLE DISRUPTION TO RAIL SERVICES - MONDAY 15TH OCTOBER, INDUSTRIAL ACTION by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that some rail services cannot be guaranteed this Monday 15th October, due to a threatened one-day industrial action by Permanent Way (line inspection and maintenance) staff in the south of the country.

Services which may be affected include:

- Cork/Dublin

- Ennis/Limerick/Dublin

- Tralee/Dublin

- Tralee/Cork

- Cork commuter services (Cork/Cobh, Cork/Mallow)

Iarnród Éireann advises customers to check online at www.irishrail.ie or phone 1850366222 before traveling on Monday 15th October.

The industrial action, being taken by SIPTU and NBRU Permanent Way staff in the south of the country concerns staff deployment issues.

Iarnród Éireann and SIPTU and NBRU have engaged extensively to resolve these issues, including lengthy conciliation conferences chaired by the Labour Relations Commission.

This process has produced an opportunity to address the issues at a Labour Court hearing week commencing Monday 22nd October, subject to the removal of threat of industrial action on Monday 15th October.

Iarnród Éireann urges SIPTU and NBRU, and Permanent Way staff, to avail of this opportunity, and ensure our customers are not unnecessarily disrupted. Iarnród Éireann management are meeting again with SIPTU and NBRU this Sunday in an effort to ensure services are not disrupted.

Iarnród Éireann apologises to customers for any inconvenience caused

Ham'nd'egger · 14-10-2007 12:06am

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

From http://www.irishrail.ie

High time the Per Way men stood up and got counted, I support them wholeheartedly.

mikemac · 14-10-2007 12:26am

What's the issue exactly? What are the union looking for?
Article doesn't tell much

aliveandkicking · 14-10-2007 2:32pm

it's about Irish Rail not paying existing staff (who are contracted to work Monday to Friday) premium overtime rates to work nights and weekends but instead employ other workers to work these shifts at standard pay rates.

Basically they're going out on strike because they're not getting overtime.

machiavellianme · 14-10-2007 2:43pm

Well, I've no interest in them then. I'd rather see two people share a job if it means saving some money for improving the rail network. No one has a RIGHT to overtime. Its just a bonus if you can get it. If the workers need the money all that badly, let them work the second shift at the same rate.

murphaph · 14-10-2007 3:15pm

aliveandkicking wrote: »

it's about Irish Rail not paying existing staff (who are contracted to work Monday to Friday) premium overtime rates to work nights and weekends but instead employ other workers to work these shifts at standard pay rates.

Basically they're going out on strike because they're not getting overtime.

So let me get this straight. They get to work normal sociable monday to friday hours for x euros a week and the other crews get to work sh!tty nights and weekends also for x euros a week and now the lads who already have it better want to work overtime to earn x+(y*2) euros a week while the other crews (who already have much worse t&c's) will lose hours and earn x-y euros a week?

Solidarity of the working man eh? Nice.

A Dub in Glasgo · 14-10-2007 4:06pm

Sounds more like IE want to use non IE labour to do the weekend shifts ie employ casual labour for the weekend. If left to spiral, the weekend work could have safety implications. I have seen it all before with rail privitisation in Britain

Victor · 14-10-2007 4:11pm

http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/news_centre/travel_alerts.asp?action=view&news_id=303

POSSIBLE DISRUPTION TO RAIL SERVICES - MONDAY 15TH OCTOBER, INDUSTRIAL ACTION by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that the company cannot guarantee rail services to and from Cork, Kerry and Limerick (including Cork commuter services) on Monday 15th October, due to a threatened one-day industrial action by Permanent Way (line inspection and maintenance) staff in the south of the country.

Services cannot be guaranteed on the following routes:
- Cork/Dublin
- Ennis/Limerick/Dublin
- Tralee/Dublin
- Tralee/Cork
- Cork commuter services (Cork/Cobh, Cork/Mallow)

Iarnród Éireann advises customers to check this website, or phone 1850366222, before traveling on Monday 15th October.

The industrial action, being taken by SIPTU and NBRU Permanent Way staff in the south of the country concerns staff deployment issues.

Iarnród Éireann and SIPTU and NBRU have engaged extensively to resolve these issues, including lengthy conciliation conferences chaired by the Labour Relations Commission. This process has produced an opportunity to address the issues at a Labour Court hearing week commencing Monday 22nd October, subject to the removal of threat of industrial action on Monday 15th October.

LRC TALKS TAKE PLACE TODAY

Iarnród Éireann, along with SIPTU and NBRU, will attend talks at the LRC today (Sunday 14th October).

With today's talks, and the Labour Court ready to hear the issues, there is no justifiable reason rail customers should suffer disruption on Monday.

Iarnród Éireann urges SIPTU and NBRU, and Permanent Way staff, to use the industrial relations processes of the State, and ensure our customers are not unnecessarily disrupted.

Iarnród Éireann apologises to customers for any inconvenience caused.

Transport21 Fan · 14-10-2007 4:17pm

Isn't there an EU directive that rail infrastructure and rail services should be separated?

A Dub in Glasgo · 14-10-2007 4:36pm

No, the directive states that rail infrastructure & rail services should be accounted separately ie different divisions of the same company with visible accounting for each would comply with the directive.

Victor · 14-10-2007 4:38pm

Transport21 Fan wrote: »

Isn't there an EU directive that rail infrastructure and rail services should be separated?

I think thats for accounting purposes only.

Ham'nd'egger · 14-10-2007 5:56pm

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Sounds more like IE want to use non IE labour to do the weekend shifts ie employ casual labour for the weekend. If left to spiral, the weekend work could have safety implications. I have seen it all before with rail privitisation in Britain

Some years ago, IE subbed out some Per Way work in the west, the private crews working alongside the IE crews. After about a week, the IE staff walked out after it transpired that the private crews were getting paid up to 4 times the rates the IE gangers were receiving. I'd not be one bit suprised if something similar is being pulled on the staff here. While we don't know the in's and out's of this dispute, if you heard what IE pay Per Way staff for an role essential to the safety of the rail network in Ireland, you may well have some sympathy for them.

murphaph · 14-10-2007 6:59pm

Hamndegger wrote: »

Some years ago, IE subbed out some Per Way work in the west, the private crews working alongside the IE crews. After about a week, the IE staff walked out after it transpired that the private crews were getting paid up to 4 times the rates the IE gangers were receiving. I'd not be one bit suprised if something similar is being pulled on the staff here. While we don't know the in's and out's of this dispute, if you heard what IE pay Per Way staff for an role essential to the safety of the rail network in Ireland, you may well have some sympathy for them.

How much do they get paid?

Ham'nd'egger · 14-10-2007 11:18pm

murphaph wrote: »

How much do they get paid?

It wasn't too long ago (circa 2000) that their hourly rate started at £3.65, with 10-12 hour shifts the norm, and in some regions all but compulsory based on staffing levels. Their duties include walking tracks and inspecting couplings, ballast, sleepers, signals, bridges, crossings etc for any faults and rectifying or reporting same as need be. Granted, the wages will go up on service and has increased since then (I am unsure what it is currently but I'd guess that it's not far past minimum wage) but it is still very low considering the duties, I am sure you will agree. Some Gangers may be on gatekeeper duties as well which obviously will be less intensive physically; gangers on track walking duties can be doing 20+ miles a day on a normal 8 hour day, before overtime.

Those gentlemen who lay track are Platelayers and are responsible for the physical upkeep and/or replacement of track; let us distinct them from this debate for now.

http://www.siptu.ie/PressRoom/NewsReleases/2007/Name,9983,en.html

godtabh · 15-10-2007 4:53pm

is there any sign of the dispute going else where and affecting other lines?

murphaph · 15-10-2007 6:25pm

Hamndegger wrote: »

It wasn't too long ago (circa 2000) that their hourly rate started at £3.65

So a starting rate of €4.65/h 8 years ago.

Hamndegger wrote: »

with 10-12 hour shifts the norm

Well, that's the norm in many industries these days. Nothing unusual there.

Hamndegger wrote: »

Their duties include walking tracks and inspecting couplings, ballast, sleepers, signals, bridges, crossings etc for any faults and rectifying or reporting same as need be.

Are they fitters or otherwise qualified tradesmen or unskilled labour?

Hamndegger wrote: »

Granted, the wages will go up on service and has increased since then (I am unsure what it is currently but I'd guess that it's not far past minimum wage) but it is still very low considering the duties, I am sure you will agree.

To be honest, I'd have to see much more current figures to make a decision. Lots of people have tough jobs. 8 years is a long time, especially given some of the public servant pay increases over that period. It alone is not grounds for above average pay.

Ham'nd'egger · 15-10-2007 7:22pm

murphaph wrote: »

To be honest, I'd have to see much more current figures to make a decision. Lots of people have tough jobs. 8 years is a long time, especially given some of the public servant pay increases over that period. It alone is not grounds for above average pay.

No, but when you pay low wages and expect staff to effectively work overtime to earn a living wage, you can't blame staff for wanting a better lot or to protect what has been given to them for many a year; regardless if you think it's unjustified or not. I personally feel it is good that to this day, working men can and will stand up as a group and fight for a better deal; were it not for unionism on the railways God knows how staff would be treated. These men do a vital work on the railways and while they are unskilled insofar as one can't "gang" as a trade, nethertheless, it is very much a skilled job; the term possibly is skilled manual worker as distinct from a tradesman.

Victor · 15-10-2007 9:50pm

In the interest of balance.

http://www.siptu.ie/PressRoom/NewsReleases/2007/Name,9983,en.html

Rail workers forced into one day stoppage over breach of agreement
Date Released: 12 Oct 2007

SIPTU has served notice of industrial action on behalf of rail workers in Iarnrod Eireann to take effect from midnight on Sunday, October 14, until midnight Monday, October 15, in the South West region.

“Rail workers (line inspection and maintenance staff) are being forced to take industrial action because management is continuing to forge ahead with plans which undermine existing working conditions without agreement,” said SIPTU Branch Organiser, Willie Noone.

“Management is progressively introducing a five-day week spread over seven days for certain categories of workers and utilising contract workers to carry out essential work which should be done by our members,” he said.

“As no resolution could be found, after exhaustive negotiations our members had no option but to serve notice of industrial action on September 7.

“We regret any inconvenience caused to the travelling public and remain available for talks over the week-end in an effort to resolve the issue in dispute,” he concluded.

dermo88 · 15-10-2007 11:47pm

Hate saying it, but I'm with SIPTU on this one, just as I was with Iarnrod Eireann with the ILDA dispute. These guys are out in all weather conditions, and the hours are unsocial. The wages offered, even by 2000 standards are derisory. The Irish Rail spin machine is obvious in saying less about this dispute in contrast to the ILDA situation, and in my eyes, their silence screams guilt.

For years the PW staff were cut back, and working conditions worsened. Now, increases are justified, particularly in areas where there are people left behind by the Celtic Tiger. Iarnrod Eireann benefitted from it, and now, its time to give a bit back. Plus, for accounting purposes, infrastructure is seperate, so its down to the infrastructure to pay their wages.

Something between a piece rate and an hourly rate can be justified.

Irish Rail Industrial Action

Comments