Luas Strike Dates Announced

[berneyarms]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0113/759919-luas/

SIPTU have announced two 48-hour strikes in February on the following dates:


Thursday 11 February & Friday 12 February

Thursday 18 February & Friday 19 February.



Interestingly the report states that Transdev expect to incur a loss of €700k in 2015 - not quite the rosy picture many people paint about LUAS.

[Dublin13]

Very political.

[Mark Gleeson]

To note the legal structure here

Transdev operate the Luas under a contract from the NTA via the RPA. This is pretty much a fixed price contract with options for bonus/penalties.

The RPA pay Transdev. Transdev's internal finances are pretty much beyond the concern of the RPA and NTA.

RPA are exposed to the market conditions, if demand falls RPA take the bulk of the hit, if demand rises then they do well as does Transdev as they should get a cut of the extra.

So for Transdev to make more money
1. Beat the contract targets
2. Eliminate fare evasion
3. Drive passenger growth

[Jamie2k9]

With the wages RPU staff are looking for I bet it would be more cost effective to sack them and allow whatever level of non paying passengers continue.

[markpb]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

With the wages RPU staff are looking for I bet it would be more cost effective to sack them and allow whatever level of non paying passengers continue.

It would only be cost effective until the NTA realise a key part of the NTA-Transdev isn't being enforced and fine Transdev accordingly.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

With the wages RPU staff are looking for I bet it would be more cost effective to sack them and allow whatever level of non paying passengers continue.

all highly illegal though.

[Thomas J Stamp]

the WRC (not that one) has invited them all round for coffee and biscuits.

[Colm Moore]

This seems to be more about the election (and 'The Revolution') than a genuine negotiation for a pay increase.

While pay increases over the last 8 year might be modest, the cost of living is in the same place as then.

Train drivers wanted to be treated the same as airline pilots, tram drivers want to be treated the same as train drivers and there is a suggestion that bus drivers will lodge a pay claim to match tram drivers.

[Jamie2k9]

8 and 17 March are the next dates.

[Mark Gleeson]

Transdev are now at serious risk of contract termination through non performance.

I can see this dragging on and on and Transdev are not going to negotiate until SIPTU adopts a financially realistic position.

[Jamie2k9]

Transdev are now at serious risk of contract termination through non performance.

I can see this dragging on and on and Transdev are not going to negotiate until SIPTU adopts a financially realistic position.

It will really be 17 March before Transdev start to lose anything when you take the bonus/regular wage and balance it against fines.

I cannot see the contract been terminated at all, simple fact is if they terminate it they will find it difficult to get another company in to operate with such demands. The NTA know the consequences of for example letting CIE manage short term combined with the additional cost a new operator will demand to meet wage demands.

The sync in me think's SIPTU were expecting it to be resolved before the election and now that has not happened they have been forced to give another 3 weeks notice and once this week's over it will almost be forgotten it will become a non issue and they will have to be realistic at some point. Now they have opted for single days as they know next to nobody is on there side.

What would be the chances of unions agreeing to 3 week notice within CIE?

[Thomas J Stamp]

the problem with doing this during an election from SIPTU's point of view is that Transdev/NTA isnt CIE. the tactic of pressurising the minister to intervene either overtly or in the background isnt going to work.

choosing st patricks day and days of matches and so on also sounds grand on paper but it is 100% capable of severe backlash, with passengers going from innocent bystanders to deliberate victims of the striking workers.