[1-8-2008] Possibilty of disruption in Munster

[Mark Gleeson]

Word has come through that strike notice has been served by a group of permanent way staff based in Cork.

This arrises due to employment of contractors to work on the Midleton project.

As of yet we have no details on the date upon which the strike is likely to begin

[ACustomer]

This is the same group which went on a wildcat/lightning strike a year or so ago. What is it with Cork, something in the water supply?

[Mark Gleeson]

Same group. They seem to take the view that they have first refusal on all trackworks anywhere in the region

Midleton is deemed a brand new line, so a lot of it has been subcontracted

[Mark]

Ah the rebel county.. Micheal Collins, Roy Keane, Georgie O'Callaghan, train drivers and now the track repair staff..

[Insert names of wingy rebels where appropriate]

[Mark Hennessy]

Ah the rebel county.. Micheal Collins, Roy Keane, Georgie O'Callaghan, train drivers and now the track repair staff..

[Insert names of wingy rebels where appropriate]

Peter Stringer ;)

[Colm R]

Oi, leave us Rebels alone!!! :o

[Mark Gleeson]

This appears to be a chance your arm operation. Demand first refusal on work but then won't agree to actually do it unless they feel like it.

Same thing with contractors is ongoing in the other two permanent way divisions but they aren't up in arms.

Quite different to the drivers issue, who seem to have been targeted and victimised.

Irish Rail might remove its head from the sand at about 16:45 and place a sneaky notice up. It doesn't matter if the drivers show up and cross the picket no trains can run. Either next Monday or the one following are the likely start dates, lines are walked on Monday, no walk = no train service

[Mark]

So the permanent way staff were expecting to be chosen as sub contractors on the Midleton works? In what capacity?

[Dkettle]

Token amount of track down at this stage and the grief is flowing already!

Are any staff arrangements in place for this extension and the corresponding new services? Stations / Signals / level crossings / train drivers? We are already seeing much disruption on off peak services to Cobh, is this the tip of the iceberg?

[Mark Gleeson]

Level crossings will be controlled from the Mallow center, already agreed and staffed

Signaling will be controlled from either Cork, Mallow or Connolly, requires fewer staff that current. Shortage of signaling staff has cancelled trains in the past

10 drivers in training in Cork

The whole issue is down to staff in the permanent way are either
Pre 2000 Mon-Fri limited night work
Post 2000 far more flexible hours
Contractors fill in generally at times of peak workload, eg night weekends, new works etc.

Obviously is much cheaper not to pay overtime

[Mark Gleeson]

Word in is the situation is interesting

Labour court ruled with the staff not management, it appears the dispute concerns lack of implementation on the Irish Rail management side of the agreement.

[Mark Hennessy]

Word in is the situation is interesting

Labour court ruled with the staff not management, it appears the dispute concerns lack of implementation on the Irish Rail management side of the agreement.

So is this another case of ordinary commuters being held to ransom by staff because Irish Rail management are so inept?

Or is it just the management in Cork who are more hopeless than the rest of the country?

[Thomas J Stamp]

given what we know of what was supposed to happen last Friday and how it was everted - hint hint it's all in the members section folks - I think its a given that the cork managment are at best pathetic at worse pathological

[Mark Gleeson]

You read it here virtually the day the strike notice was actually served
Efforts to avert bank holiday rail strike
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:39
The Labour Relations Commission has invited management and unions at Iarnród Éireann to talks aimed at averting a strike by line maintenance staff at some of its stations in Munster.

Strike notice, which was served on the company by SIPTU at the beginning of July, is due to elapse at midnight on Thursday.

If the strike goes ahead it could disrupt rail services to and from stations in Cork, Limerick and Kerry at the beginning of the August bank holiday weekend.

The dispute centres on contract staff being assigned to duties which Irish Rail employees regard as their 'core' work.

An Iarnród Éireann spokesperson said the company is confident that Friday's planned 24-hour strike can be averted.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0729/rail.html

Given they had 25 days up until now to fix it what difference is 48 hours going to make?

Everything south of Portlaoise is effected, however services could stay running for a number of days until lines fall due for a visual inspection, by by Monday everything would be a risk

Of course seat bookings are still being taken and no notice of any possibility of trouble is given by Irish Rail. EU regulations due to come into force in about 18 months will make it a legal requirement to inform at time of ticket purchase of any possible disruption

[Mark Gleeson]

Its curious a notice appears now

Possible industrial action, Friday 1st August by Corporrate Communications

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that a proposed one-day industrial action by Permanent Way (line maintenance) staff this Friday 1st August has the potential to disrupt services to and from Cork on Friday, and potentially to and from Kerry and Limerick also.

Iarnród Éireann and trade unions representing staff will meet at the Labour Relations Commission today (30th July), and the company is optimistic that these discussions will avert the threatened stoppage.

Further details will be updated on this website. We apologise for the uncertainty this will cause for customers making travel plans for this Friday.

We can't wait for the new EU rules which make this notice a legal requirement :p Seat bookings still being taken

[Mark Gleeson]

No solution today it appears

What will be effected?

The Limerick Junction Permanent Way division is

Portlaoise - Cork - Cobh
Limerick -Limerick Junction - Waterford West
Nenagh Branch
Mallow - Tralee

Since it includes Limerick station no Ennis services either

It all depends on when the lines are walked.

Note of course Irish Rail had 28 days notice, no published contingency plan. Many will recall when Aer Lingus was recently faced with a strike they had notices in papers and hired in planes from anywhere they could find them to keep things going. Irish Rail are saying nothing of course

[Mark Hennessy]

A bit of a last minute rush from Irish Rail management.

Note that the issue isn't resolved according to the report, just not going to impact on the bank holiday weekend.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0730/rail.html

The threatened rail strike by some Iarnród Éireann line maintenance staff in Munster has been called off.

The strike action had been threatened for the coming bank holiday weekend.

Talks between unions and management had been taking place today.
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Strike notice had been served on the rail company by SIPTU at the beginning of July.

More talks are scheduled to take place next week