BE strike [Read 1st post before posting]

devnull · 03-04-2017 12:06PM

According to O'Leary now whilst the strike was unfortunate, he is thanking god we live in a democracy and also says that it's the unions duty to assist those who provide public transport

He also feels insulted that Dublin Bus have only written a letter about wildcat strikes.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/hopes-for-fresh-talks-in-bus-eireann-dispute-as-union-boss-calls-strikes-unfortunate-35588857.html

There are hopes that Bus Eireann and union bosses could enter into further talks and end the ongoing dispute.
As the strikes reached day 11 both sides confirmed they would be willing to meet for further discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission.

However National Bus and Rail Union boss Dermot O'Leary refused to comment on whether he would instruct his members to call off their industrial action during potential talks.

Mr O'Leary said he had "no prior knowledge" about Friday's action, which caused commuter chaos when Dublin Bus and Irish Rail workers went on strike.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, he said: "I spent every day last week talking to people on picket lines all over this country gauging the opinion of people, not just from my trade union, I spoke to people from all trade unions, there are five involved in this dispute and of course I come out and talk on behalf of mine.

"We try and provide leadership, that leadership goes beyond the NBRU, it goes to the agencies and we're supposed to assist those who provide public transport.

"We show leadership and they're supposed to do that at the same time, by that I mean the CIE group, the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority."

He added: "It was unfortunate what happened on Friday but thank God that we live in a democracy."

He criticised claims by Dublin Bus and Irish Rail that they are planning to sue the NBRU for losses they made on Friday during the disruption.

He said: "We've been calling for intervention in that group for quite a while and it seems quite strange and insulting that the only thing they've done in this dispute is to write a letter to the Department."

Here we go · 03-04-2017 12:35PM

Anyone ha e a rough idea how much longer be can go before they have to liquidate ?

Here we go · 03-04-2017 12:37PM

setoot wrote: »

Rumours dong the rounds.

RTE are to sell some land for 75 million , this money will be used to secure the future of RTE.

High up people are now proposing/wondering why not something similar for DB/BE.

Sell DB donnybrook, it is in the same location , similar size as the RTE land.
This was preposed 10+ years ago, with the idea to build a new depot in cherrywood, this idea is now back on the table, only cherrywood location has changed.

BE Broadstone is a huge size for potential development land in dublin city, help with the lack of housing, got to be worth millions, a sale would result in enough money to build a new depot (outside M50) and put BE on the road to recovery.

Someone is blocking these proposals, and has been for several years. Why?

Even if they sell for the same price 75 mill it would still be operating at a loss and that would just kick the can down the road as each year the losses eat into that windfall till it's gone and where back where we are

markpb · 03-04-2017 12:39PM

setoot wrote: »

Someone is blocking these proposals, and has been for several years. Why?

The land doesn't belong to BE, operationally they're a terrible idea and using short-term income to solve a long-term expense is such a bad idea that any junior cert business student can explain why.

WomanSkirtFan8 · 03-04-2017 12:45PM

Here we go wrote: »

Anyone ha e a rough idea how much longer be can go before they have to liquidate ?

not sure. probably not long though. My own personal guess would be another week possibly (if they're extremely lucky).
:rolleyes:

n97 mini · 03-04-2017 12:47PM

setoot wrote: »

Someone is blocking these proposals, and has been for several years. Why?

As said above, a one-off cash injection doesn't solve anything.

oppenheimer1 · 03-04-2017 01:14PM

lawred2 wrote: »

Bus Aras should be sold and demolished and a new inter city station built outside the M50. People should be carried into the city by DB or Luas.

Only a handful of BE buses should travel into the city centre.

Between this stupid idea and the constant sniping about the location of the childrens hospital, I think we should move the entire city centre to the M50.:rolleyes:

Busaras is fine where it is.

Jamie2k9 · 03-04-2017 01:18PM

devnull wrote: »

According to O'Leary now whilst the strike was unfortunate, he is thanking god we live in a democracy and also says that it's the unions duty to assist those who provide public transport

He also feels insulted that Dublin Bus have only written a letter about wildcat strikes.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/hopes-for-fresh-talks-in-bus-eireann-dispute-as-union-boss-calls-strikes-unfortunate-35588857.html

It sure is very unfortunate that he might end up costing the union around a million euro to be given to IE/DB :rolleyes:

Del.Monte · 03-04-2017 01:20PM

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

No it is not.
It is one of the first buildings built in post war Europe in the International Modern style.
Knocking it down would be akin to bulldozing Henrietta Street

It's an overrated eyesore and will start to break-up of it's own accord in due course.

Gamb!t · 03-04-2017 01:45PM

@Mods
Why is there two BE threads(Commuting and Transport and another thread in After Hours),cant they be merged into one ?

lawred2 · 03-04-2017 01:48PM

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Between this stupid idea and the constant sniping about the location of the childrens hospital, I think we should move the entire city centre to the M50.:rolleyes:

Busaras is fine where it is.

As a monument to a failed entity it is indeed perfectly fine where it is

CIARAN_BOYLE · 03-04-2017 01:52PM

Gamb!t wrote: »

@Mods
Why is there two BE threads(Commuting and Transport and another thread in After Hours),cant they be merged into one ?

Don't forget politics café too.

I suppose the reason is that its relevant here and there is a forum charter here while theres a different standard of posting expected in AH and the café.

StringerBell · 03-04-2017 02:00PM

The exchange, though childish from both men at times this morning between the Paul (Fine Gael, can't think of surname) and O Leary from the NBRU was pretty positive in terms of seeing this draw to a close.

Expect an official invitation to be made tonight or tomorrow morning and talks to take place either tomorrow or Wednesday ending this with something both sides can live with. Unions are clear they will compromise (again stated as much this morning) and the other side have said this will be resolved.

jimmycrackcorm · 03-04-2017 02:02PM

bk wrote:

Actually owned by the Department of Social Protection, their offices are upstairs in the building.

That's good news in case it needs to be used by private operators in the future.

bk wrote:

That is why you see no protests in support of BE. The people of rural Ireland now the truth about the BE services operating in their communities and wouldn't mind seeing a change.

Coming up in conversation with people down the country at the weekend, who go out protesting about water, I was surprised that there is zero support for the BE workers.

Strong Life in Dublin wrote:

have you ever used the toilets in there? They are the grimiest and worst smelling toilets I've ever used

It's a reflection of BE as a company.

devnull wrote:

According to O'Leary now whilst the strike was unfortunate, he is thanking god we live in a democracy and also says that it's the unions duty to assist those who provide public transport

Perhaps he'd care to let the people vote then and routes their democratic viewpoint of his union.

Gamb!t wrote:

@Mods Why is there two BE threads(Commuting and Transport and another thread in After Hours),cant they be merged into one ?

The markets dictate competition.

bk · 03-04-2017 03:27PM

setoot wrote: »

Someone is blocking these proposals, and has been for several years. Why?

Non of that property belongs to BE or DB, it is owned by and managed by CIE Property Group.

Which is fair enough given that the property was bought for CIE by the government using taxpayers money, so it should be up to the government how that property is used.

The idea of selling that property to finance a loss making company with such terrible fundamental financial, management and employee issues is a terrible idea.

BE are losing 6 million a year and accelerating. Even if they sold donnybrook and got 75 million, best case scenario it would just kick the can down the road for 10 years and we would be back here again having the same strikes and issues.

Also I'm not sure if it would even be legal for CIE to transfer money from the parent company to such a loss making sub group in this manner. The Board of Directors of CIE have certain business legislation that they need to follow and this feels like it would go against such laws, though I'm not a solicitor so I'm not 100% on that, but I suspect it certainly isn't straight forward.

Also, why in gods name would a relatively effecient DB aggree to have their depots sold out from under them, requiring them to buy and build a new depot and all the disturbance that goes with that, all to temporarily finance an incredibly inefficient and loss making BE! I'm sure DB would be super pissed at that idea.

Finally even if these property were sold, wouldn't be better to use the money to buy hundreds of new buses and coaches to expand the services of DB and BE (or whatever replaces them) with new routes and more frequent departures and capacity and thus improving things for the Irish public, rather then just lining the pockets of overpaid drivers.

Frankly such an idea shows all of what is wrong with state led public transport
in Ireland. Look after the staff first, no thought given to improving services for the public!

Graham · 03-04-2017 03:33PM

bk wrote: »

BE are losing 6 million a year and accelerating. Even if they sold donnybrook and got 75 million, best case scenario it would just kick the can down the road for 10 years and we would be back here again having the same strikes and issues.

I doubt 75 million would last 10 years. Unions would be instantly clamouring for BE to share the 'windfall' with the long-serving, hard done to, community minded staff.

thomasj · 03-04-2017 03:49PM

Gamb!t wrote:

@Mods Why is there two BE threads(Commuting and Transport and another thread in After Hours),cant they be merged into one ?

Do you really want to hear comments about the bus eireann dog being on its last legs and it's time to put it down etc.

Xenji · 03-04-2017 04:14PM

How likely are wildcat strikes this week?

Dravokivich · 03-04-2017 04:51PM

Xenji wrote: »

How likely are wildcat strikes this week?

Word is Irish Rail and Dublin Bus were due to be balloted this week.

thomasj · 03-04-2017 05:13PM

Dravokivich wrote: »

Word is Irish Rail and Dublin Bus were due to be balloted this week.

when you say 'were' do you mean they are or that they might put it off for the timebeing because of the anger in some quarters of dublin bus and irish rail as a result of their actions of last friday?

Dyr · 03-04-2017 05:17PM

thomasj wrote: »

when you say 'were' do you mean they are or that they might put it off for the timebeing because of the anger in some quarters of dublin bus and irish rail because of their actions of last friday?

You would wonder if the IRNBRU et al have got a read for how the wind is blowing in DB and IE and are a bit nervous about balloting now

bk · 03-04-2017 05:25PM

Xenji wrote: »

How likely are wildcat strikes this week?

I'd say unlikely now.

The unions seem to be quite concerned about legal action by CIE now. The unions don't like to be hit in their pocket and I expect they will be much more careful going forward.

Dravokivich wrote: »

Word is Irish Rail and Dublin Bus were due to be balloted this week.

Sure, but that is going to take weeks, probably more then a month. They are currently balloting BE school bus drivers, they are saying that is going to take 3 weeks just for that ballot and that is part of BE.

Realistically BE will be in liquidation long before then if they don't get back to talks with management this week.

Also I'm not sure why they are balloting for all these secondary strikes if they are currently talking about returning to talks with the WRC. It really isn't helpful and smells of more bully boy tactics.

In the past the WRC wouldn't have talks with organisations are currently on strike. I'm not sure why the WRC is changing the rules for BE now.

Brendan Bendar · 03-04-2017 05:53PM

Noone floundering badly on Drivetime at the moment.

Nothing positive to say, just negative rhetoric.

WomanSkirtFan8 · 03-04-2017 06:59PM

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Noone floundering badly on Drivetime at the moment.

Nothing positive to say, just negative rhetoric.

nothing surprising about that. Same old rubbish. The unions commited a major own-goal last friday and they're now fighting on the backfoot. Better to let BE go into liquidation this week give them all a major shock and wake-up call.:rolleyes:

pilly · 03-04-2017 07:01PM

Brendan Bendar wrote:

Noone floundering badly on Drivetime at the moment.

I get the feeling from him that there's tension between the 2 unions?

And all of a sudden he's bringing up drivers who were dismissed? That's the first I heard of that?

end of the road · 03-04-2017 07:22PM

WomanSkirtFan8 wrote: »

nothing surprising about that. Same old rubbish. The unions commited a major own-goal last friday and they're now fighting on the backfoot. Better to let BE go into liquidation this week give them all a major shock and wake-up call.

there is no shock and wakeup call to be given. the staff are entitled to strike regardless of whether people agree with them or not, and talking is the only way this issue should be solved so the company can get back to providing the service on it's routes.

Jamie2k9 · 03-04-2017 07:28PM

end of the road wrote: »

there is no shock and wakeup call to be given. the staff are entitled to strike regardless of whether people agree with them or not, and talking is the only way this issue should be solved so the company can get back to providing the service on it's routes.

Legally....

Here we go · 03-04-2017 07:28PM

end of the road wrote: »

there is no shock and wakeup call to be given. the staff are entitled to strike regardless of whether people agree with them or not, and talking is the only way this issue should be solved so the company can get back to providing the service on it's routes.

Entitled to strike and refuse to give there service but not stopping other non related services and effecting people who have Notting to do with there strike

bk · 03-04-2017 08:04PM

end of the road wrote: »

there is no shock and wakeup call to be given. the staff are entitled to strike regardless of whether people agree with them or not, and talking is the only way this issue should be solved so the company can get back to providing the service on it's routes.

Entitled to go out in strike, yes of course.

Entitled to block other services from running, no absolutely not. Surrounding GoBE buses and threatening drivers and passengers (second strike they have done this now), no absolutely not.

And management are completely available to talk whenever they want. It is the BE staff who are out on strike and refusing to talk.

Gael23 · 03-04-2017 08:09PM

Surely any talks would be conditional on strikes being suspended?

BE strike [Read 1st post before posting]

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