Irish Rail Drivers want Hours Cut

Jamie2k9 · 26-07-2016 9:34pm #1

Unions at Irish Rail have threatened industrial action if the state-owned company refuses to cut their working week from up to 43 hours to 35. The National Bus and Railworkers Union and SIPTU will seek a 35-hour week for the company’s 540 drivers at three days of talks that begin at the Workplace Relations Commission tomorrow.

Link for full article:
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-rail-workers-threaten-industrial-action-if-working-hours-are-not-cut-34914720.html

savagethegoat · 27-07-2016 7:53am

seems reasonable to me.

the groutch · 27-07-2016 9:57am

is that keeping the same salary? the article isn't very clear?

Jamie2k9 · 27-07-2016 1:30pm

the groutch wrote: »

is that keeping the same salary? the article isn't very clear?

What do you think, they are in line for restoration of some pay cuts and will want a bit more.

seems reasonable to me.

Note it's "up" to 45 hours, one would expect a fraction of them do the max work.
_______

Interested to know what benefits IE get from the report as the union comment saying drivers would have to move on issues if they want to achieve it.

I would have no problem with extra pay, reduced hours once they do more and are bit flexible when they need to be. Hopefully there won't be any action and they are reasonable with demands.

I personally would not expect 35 hour week right away but perhaps under 40 to start with.

end of the road · 27-07-2016 2:57pm

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

What do you think, they are in line for restoration of some pay cuts and will want a bit more.

Note it's "up" to 45 hours, one would expect a fraction of them do the max work.
_______

Interested to know what benefits IE get from the report as the union comment saying drivers would have to move on issues if they want to achieve it.

I would have no problem with extra pay, reduced hours once they do more and are bit flexible when they need to be. Hopefully there won't be any action and they are reasonable with demands.

I personally would not expect 35 hour week right away but perhaps under 40 to start with.

i think the outcome will be slightly reduced hours but no extra pay on top of the looked for restoration. time will tell though.

savagethegoat · 27-07-2016 3:25pm

I started work in 1973 and did 35 hours way back then. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

kingshankly · 27-07-2016 4:35pm

im a driver and have a good few weeks on the roster that are 45 hours 5x9

Jamie2k9 · 27-07-2016 4:46pm

kingshankly wrote: »

im a driver and have a good few weeks on the roster that are 45 hours 5x9

So you would prefer a set weekly 35 (for example) instead of varied amounts week over week.

Any idea if the cuts will balance themselves out over a year with a set weekly roster than varied one and are the max hours more less from all the pay/productivity deals since 2008 or were they always there.

i think the outcome will be slightly reduced hours but no extra pay on top of the looked for restoration. time will tell though.

Problem is IE will want something in return for that to work out.

magicbastarder · 27-07-2016 9:52pm

kingshankly wrote: »

im a driver and have a good few weeks on the roster that are 45 hours 5x9

do you get any lunchbreaks? just curious as to whether you mean (as an example) 9am to 6pm with or without breaks.

kingshankly · 27-07-2016 10:11pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

do you get any lunchbreaks? just curious as to whether you mean (as an example) 9am to 6pm with or without breaks.

There are breaks factored in but say you had a 50 min break in Belfast before you turn round say your late there goes your break

Jamie2k9 · 27-07-2016 10:14pm

kingshankly wrote: »

There are breaks factored in but say you had a 50 min break in Belfast before you turn round say your late there goes your break

But to be fair unless it's mechanical issues with the train, surly you are just sitting waiting like passengers for whatever issues to be resolved.

Edit perhaps Belfast route would be a poor representation of the network in terms of breaks as it's issue to issue all the time.

liger · 27-07-2016 10:15pm

kingshankly wrote: »

There are breaks factored in but say you had a 50 min break in Belfast before you turn round say your late there goes your break

Do you get compensated at ot rates when that happens? Would IE drivers be expected to do a lot of ot?

newacc2015 · 27-07-2016 10:19pm

savagethegoat wrote: »

I started work in 1973 and did 35 hours way back then. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

The norm in the private sector is now 37.5 hours minimum. If you go to most medium - large sized businesses now, the hours are 37.5 hours a week. Very few jobs are now 35 hours a week.

Jamie2k9 · 27-07-2016 10:41pm

Off to a great start :rolleyes:

Iarnród Éireann has accused train driver unions of an an organised withdrawal of co-operation with the training of new drivers, which is damaging its financial position.

The accusation is contained in a statement issued after talks at the Workplace Relations Commission today aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over working hours and payments for productivity.

Iarnród Éireann says nine DART trainees have been prevented from completing their training, and that this has affected the company's ability to respond to the future needs of customers.

National Bus and Rail Union General Secretary Dermot O'Leary accused the company of "cherry-picking" from the agreed agenda for the WRC talks.

He said nothing would be agreed until everything was agreed - including the issue of driver training.

In a statement, the NBRU and SIPTU said "Irish Rail has now decided to set it's face against the preeminent Industrial Relations institution of the State by thumbing its nose at the recommended course of action to engage on all of the disputed issues"

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0727/805262-iarnrod-eireann-irish-rail/

Notice the union have not denied the accusation..

liger · 28-07-2016 3:53am

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Off to a great start :rolleyes:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0727/805262-iarnrod-eireann-irish-rail/

Notice the union have not denied the accusation..

How can you deny the fact that 9 people are sitting in a depot somewhere getting paid to do nothing because they can't complete their training.

Question is, why are IE taking on 16 more if they haven't got it sorted out yet.

lawlolawl · 28-07-2016 8:38am

newacc2015 wrote: »

The norm in the private sector is now 37.5 hours minimum. If you go to most medium - large sized businesses now, the hours are 37.5 hours a week. Very few jobs are now 35 hours a week.

Do they only work 4 days a week or something?

I'm ground staff in IE and my minimum week is 5x9hrs with every third week being 4x9hrs with a 12hr day as well.

The national average is something like 35.7hrs per week. I'd love that, it'd be like being part time.

magicbastarder · 28-07-2016 8:52am

lawlolawl wrote: »

I'm ground staff in IE and my minimum week is 5x9hrs

what's you normal start and finish time so?
37.5 hours is considered a normal office week - 9 to 5:30, with an hour for lunch.

Captain Chaos · 28-07-2016 9:17am

magicbastarder wrote: »

what's you normal start and finish time so?
37.5 hours is considered a normal office week - 9 to 5:30, with an hour for lunch.

I'm in the private sector in an office job. I work a 39 hr week as standard. 8am - 4pm and 8am - 3pm on Fridays with one 15min break a day. Our guys in the field work the same hours and over time as required.

lawlolawl · 28-07-2016 9:36am

magicbastarder wrote: »

what's you normal start and finish time so?
37.5 hours is considered a normal office week - 9 to 5:30, with an hour for lunch.

6am to 3pm or 12pm to 9pm.

The 12hr shift is 9 to 9.

No built in break/lunch so you just take it when it gets quite.

Infini · 28-07-2016 1:02pm

liger wrote: »

How can you deny the fact that 9 people are sitting in a depot somewhere getting paid to do nothing because they can't complete their training.

Question is, why are IE taking on 16 more if they haven't got it sorted out yet.

:pac:One of the things I heard about the new drivers us that they were brought in on lower standards than yhe existing drivers. Several were from dublin bus.

The other thing was due to the way some managers have been treating staff in the past the drivers were refusing to go out with the new ones is because if the new drivers pulled a SPAD then the senior driver got penalised for it on their record. If they get too many marks theyre taken down. Thats something the company wont mention.

Jamie2k9 · 28-07-2016 1:12pm

Infini2 wrote: »

:pac:One of the things I heard about the new drivers us that they were brought in on lower standards than yhe existing drivers. Several were from dublin bus.

The other thing was due to the way some managers have been treating staff in the past the drivers were refusing to go out with the new ones is because if the new drivers pulled a SPAD then the senior driver got penalised for it on their record. If they get too many marks theyre taken down. Thats something the company wont mention.

We would of heard about it if they were on lower standards, drivers have set grades. Do you think unions would keep such a thing to themselves.

The real issue here is the changes to rosters hence why there is no 10 min DART and drivers won't train to delay it. You may have a point about SPADS's however rosters are the root issue and perhaps a little more driving within existing hours. A few months ago they say rosters and pay were the issues.

IR have the power to take the nuclear option here and force the changes as they are within the terms but they have not.

6am to 3pm or 12pm to 9pm.

The 12hr shift is 9 to 9.

No built in break/lunch so you just take it when it gets quite.

Your hardly rushed off your feet a lot of the time, perhaps if your in a central station and have a lot of passenger assistance to/from trains it may be difficult but if your in a standard station you probally have time for a good break.

Jamie2k9 · 28-07-2016 6:33pm

Rail passengers face the prospect of transport disruption next month after Iarnród Éireann unions decided to ballot drivers for industrial action.

This follows the breakdown of talks with the company at the Workplace Relations Commission aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over payment for productivity and a shorter working week.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0728/805541-iarnrod-eireann-unions/

Hilly Bill · 28-07-2016 8:15pm

Captain Chaos wrote: »

I'm in the private sector in an office job. I work a 39 hr week as standard. 8am - 4pm and 8am - 3pm on Fridays with one 15min break a day. Our guys in the field work the same hours and over time as required.

One 15 min break a day? You are entitled to more of a break than that.

n97 mini · 28-07-2016 10:16pm

Captain Chaos wrote: »

I'm in the private sector in an office job. I work a 39 hr week as standard. 8am - 4pm and 8am - 3pm on Fridays with one 15min break a day. Our guys in the field work the same hours and over time as required.

Same here. In my industry a "40" hour week is standard (it's really 39) in the private sector. I worked in the public sector for a time and it was 33¼ hours there.

Losty Dublin · 28-07-2016 10:17pm

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Your hardly rushed off your feet a lot of the time, perhaps if your in a central station and have a lot of passenger assistance to/from trains it may be difficult but if your in a standard station you probally have time for a good break.

Said without you even knowing what sort of work he does

Jamie2k9 · 28-07-2016 10:31pm

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Said without you even knowing what sort of work he does

Sorry I miss read it as I'm ground station, yes ground is much brander......but if IE were breaking any laws unions would let use know about the poor working conditions.

If they are not happy why not raise it with them and demand breaks?

kingshankly · 28-07-2016 10:48pm

liger wrote: »

Do you get compensated at ot rates when that happens? Would IE drivers be expected to do a lot of ot?

Not at all no compensation you are asked to work overtime every week but out overtime is flat rate even on a Sunday or bank holiday

foggy_lad · 28-07-2016 10:58pm

kingshankly wrote: »

Not at all no compensation you are asked to work overtime every week but out overtime is flat rate even on a Sunday or bank holiday

Do train drivers get €65 an hour for driving late night trains for events and Christmas nitelink darts like Luas drivers get?

Infini · 29-07-2016 8:33am

foggy_lad wrote: »

Do train drivers get €65 an hour for driving late night trains for events and Christmas nitelink darts like Luas drivers get?

Drivers are under no obligation to drive outside their contracted hours so anything outside of that is up to the company and drivers to sort out. Dont know what they got the last time for it but it would only be a handful of drivers doing the xmas darts.

As for the impending vote for strike I'm honestly not suprised. You can be critical of the drivers if you like but management are just as bad hell some of them dont even care bout the customers theyre that bad. These issues have been building up for ages so no suprise its beginning to boil over.

foggy_lad · 29-07-2016 1:28pm

Infini2 wrote: »

Drivers are under no obligation to drive outside their contracted hours so anything outside of that is up to the company and drivers to sort out. Dont know what they got the last time for it but it would only be a handful of drivers doing the xmas darts.

As for the impending vote for strike I'm honestly not suprised. You can be critical of the drivers if you like but management are just as bad hell some of them dont even care bout the customers theyre that bad. These issues have been building up for ages so no suprise its beginning to boil over.

Not being critical of train and dart drivers at all(for once) as they have a far more difficult and sometimes more harrowing job than Luas drivers and they should be paid accordingly, I would be very critical of Luas drivers pay for such late night services though and also their general rates of pay. They do not deserve parity with train drivers.

Jamie2k9 · 29-07-2016 2:47pm

Appears a work to rule instead of strike.....

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-rail-passengers-facing-cancellations-as-unions-plan-worktorule-action-34922587.html

Irish Rail Drivers want Hours Cut

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