Luas Strike Dates Announced

[Jamie2k9]

SIPTU and drivers buckle under pressure, strikes on 8/9/10 June moved to 6-10pm so not to impact on LC/JC students. They allege they were not aware of the impact on students when planning.

Transdev will also be rather happy as it's will be a quiet time of day.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Tom Darby will be turning in his grave at this amateur Industrial Antics from SIPTU.

As some wag said on the radio this am, how did the poor Dubliners ever survive before the two Luas lines?

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

SIPTU and drivers buckle under pressure, strikes on 8/9/10 June moved to 6-10pm so not to impact on LC/JC students. They allege they were not aware of the impact on students when planning.

Transdev will also be rather happy as it's will be a quiet time of day.

Not sure about the last line.

Bear in mind that trams will be taken out of service as they pass the depot the last time before 18:00.

As a result services will wind down from about 90 mins before 6pm - so a fair chunk of the evening peak will be cancelled as well as the four hours from 6pm to 10pm, and there'll be disruption later too.

[Jamie2k9]

Not sure about the last line.

Bear in mind that trams will be taken out of service as they pass the depot the last time before 18:00.

As a result services will wind down from about 90 mins before 6pm - so a fair chunk of the evening peak will be cancelled as well as the four hours from 6pm to 10pm, and there'll be disruption later too.

I think they would prefer the new times because while peak will be impacted the impact will be far less severe and when services resume at 10 pm its a 15-20 minute schedule so not to hard to get back on tract compared to the 5-7 minute after 1pm.

As for winding down 90 minutes before 6pm, not sure how it will work but the strike is from 6pm then I would expect any drivers on an active tram up to 5.59 would have to complete the full journeys.

Irish Rail strikes forced drivers to depart before 6am the last few times even if only 10 minutes so I don't see this been any different unless SIPTU want to expose themselves to legal action.

[James Howard]

Now we find out what this strike is really about

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/t...ices-1.2648858

[Jamie2k9]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0516/788...ck-pay-scheme/

Luas operator Transdev has suspended the sick pay scheme for workers who have been in dispute with the company over pay.

In a letter sent to SIPTU on Friday, Managing Director Gerry Madden said that the absence rate for Luas drivers is currently running at approximately 12%, with over 10% of that attributable to the sick pay scheme.

He said this compares to an average absence figure for drivers of approximately 4.5% in 2015.

Mr Madden said that such a level of absence is imposing significant additional costs on the company and is highly disruptive to customers.

The letter said the company is now invoking an existing agreement which states that if the absence level rises above 5%, management has the right to suspend individuals from the regular sick pay scheme "in its entirety or as otherwise may be stated".

The company said is suspending all individual drivers from the regular sick pay benefit scheme and will not be processing any regular sick pay payments in the May payroll and thereafter pending a return to normal absence levels.

[James Howard]

I don't understand how the union can object if they aren't disputing the figures. There is an agreement that the sick pay scheme is suspended if absenteeism exceeds 5%. It's running at 12% hence the scheme is suspended.

Uncertified sick leave is entirely at the pleasure of the employer and only works if people aren't abusing it.

[Jamie2k9]

Drivers to lose full days pay for each 4 hour stoppages.....only option is to call it off or put up with the cut. Really put fuel on the fire now as I expect drivers thought they would get away with it!

SIPTU branded them out of control