[article] Bus and rail strike threatened by union

[Navan Junction]

Olivia Kelly, Irish Times, 28th Nov 2006

Thousands of commuters and shoppers could be left without public transport in the run-up to Christmas if the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) goes ahead with a threatened strike.

The NBRU has said it will seek a mandate from its members for industrial action if the Government does not extend the December 1st deadline for submissions on the proposed Dublin Transport Authority (DTA).

The unions's general secretary, Michael Faherty, said workers had been given the proposals less than two weeks ago, even though they had been with the Minister for Transport Martin Cullen since last March.

The NBRU had not been given time to properly consider the proposals and formulate a submission and had not received answers from the Department of Transport to requests for clarification, he said.

The DTA will have responsibility for transport in the Greater Dublin area, which includes Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, with control over strategic transport planning; procurement of public transport infrastructure and services; regulation of fares; delivery of an integrated public transport system; traffic management; demand management and data collection and research.

Mr Faherty said the union needed until at least January 1st to formulate a response.

A spokeswoman for Mr Cullen said he was flexible on the submissions deadline, but was anxious to publish the legislation before Christmas.