[Press Release] More disregard for hard pressed commuters

Derek Wheeler · 27-02-2006, 19:07

PRESS RELEASE

"More disregard for hard pressed commuters"

Issued by : Platform 11 Press Office.
Date : 27th February 2006.
Contact : Derek Wheeler. Public Relations Officer. 086 3452651.

Platform 11, the National Rail Passenger Organisation, condemns today's
unofficial industrial action by DART drivers. Once again it's the, already
hard pressed, Dublin commuters that suffer. Time and time again, it's the
loyal commuter that must bare the brunt of disputes by union members within
Irish Rail. It is very apparent that today's dispute was instigated without
any consideration whatsoever for the consequences. This is an all too common
theme since the inception of CIE.

With unprecedented investment in the Dublin rail network, today's action
does nothing to inspire confidence in what this investment can achieve, if
"wildcat" action like this can effect thousands of commuters. Platform 11
calls on Driver representatives, Union representatives and Irish Rail
management to offer inconvenienced commuters an outright apology. We
particularly call on the unions to show some sense of decency and offer a
sincere apology on behalf of their members.

Furthermore, Irish Rail management and the Dept. of Transport must stop
dodging the industrial relations time bomb within the CIE group. Commuters
have been used as pawns for long enough.They deserve better.

ENDS.

Mark Gleeson · 27-02-2006, 19:17

http://www.platform11.org/media/pres...&no=pr_04.html

Kevin K Kelehan · 27-02-2006, 19:55

In future can the expression 'unprecedented investment' be altered to rising or growing investment?

I for one do not feel that the investment is unprecedented on a European scale and at a point 10 years after the commencement of the National Development plan Dublin will still have a very poor rail system by reference to the population level for comparable european cities.

I do however agree that the unions are way out of line on this.

Derek Wheeler · 27-02-2006, 19:58

Its unprecedented in terms of Irish Railway history. Until we catch up with the rest of Europe, it will always be unprecedented.

Sorry Kev.

Kevin K Kelehan · 27-02-2006, 20:00

No need to be sorry, in fact I am sorry not to be in a position to spend the hours that you all put in to this.

markpb · 28-02-2006, 09:13

Other than lack of political will/backbone, what would the complications be in introducing something like New York's Taylor law in Dublin/Ireland? It would be a fantastic stick for IE and the govenment to beat the rail unions with everytime they do something like this.

Thomas J Stamp · 28-02-2006, 17:32

Partnership wouldnt allow it................ also these strikes are "Unofficial" for a reason, they are against the law under the 1990 Industrial Relations act which introduced strike notices and secret ballots. If a registerd trades union strikes without following the act their assets can be confiscated and they lose their tortious imminuty.

And that was a bertie law I think.

Derek Wheeler · 28-02-2006, 20:49

Therefore "unofficial" allows chaos to rein and the unions to get off the hook, without any accountability to the passenger. Same old story and its probably why the RPA are the darlings of rail transport in Dublin while IE work laboriously with DASH and the KRP and have another 10 years at least in which to trot the same old line, "we don't have the capacity on the loop line, but we have a plan in place to build capacity and subject to funding we hope to begin construction of the interconnector tunnel very soon."

Yeah right. Wake up lads.

Thomas J Stamp · 28-02-2006, 22:27

It does make a complete joke of thelaw the way it's so easily circumvented. Think of how many "Unofficial" stoppages there have been, all co-incidently by union men and women. As you point out the union can say "nothing to do with us, mate" The gas thing is I was in a union once and found it to be a fairly hopeless experiance. The impression we were given from union managment was that if we were to take industrial action we would be in breach of partnership and therefore we would lose out on benchmarking ect. Every frightener was brought to bear leaving the staff utterly demoralised.

Somehow I dont think that happens on the railways though.

Derek Wheeler · 28-02-2006, 23:22

In one ThomasJ.

Because, rail unions are unique. In this country anyway, it goes back to the early 1920s when rail staff worked under deplorable terms and conditions due to the greed of rail bosses. The growing union faction found an easy route in when the GSR was founded and compounded that position upon nationalisation under CIE.

Believe it or not, we can actually blame the rail managers pre 1925 for treating staff with such contempt, that it fostered a unionised culture that is now abused beyond belief in a much more civilised 21st century. Only problem is the union culture within our railways, still thinks its dealing with a 1913 lock out mentality amongst management.

Theyt need to move on or be pushed.

27-02-2006, 19:07	#1
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	[Press Release] More disregard for hard pressed commuters PRESS RELEASE "More disregard for hard pressed commuters" Issued by : Platform 11 Press Office. Date : 27th February 2006. Contact : Derek Wheeler. Public Relations Officer. 086 3452651. Platform 11, the National Rail Passenger Organisation, condemns today's unofficial industrial action by DART drivers. Once again it's the, already hard pressed, Dublin commuters that suffer. Time and time again, it's the loyal commuter that must bare the brunt of disputes by union members within Irish Rail. It is very apparent that today's dispute was instigated without any consideration whatsoever for the consequences. This is an all too common theme since the inception of CIE. With unprecedented investment in the Dublin rail network, today's action does nothing to inspire confidence in what this investment can achieve, if "wildcat" action like this can effect thousands of commuters. Platform 11 calls on Driver representatives, Union representatives and Irish Rail management to offer inconvenienced commuters an outright apology. We particularly call on the unions to show some sense of decency and offer a sincere apology on behalf of their members. Furthermore, Irish Rail management and the Dept. of Transport must stop dodging the industrial relations time bomb within the CIE group. Commuters have been used as pawns for long enough.They deserve better. ENDS.

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27-02-2006, 19:17	#2
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	http://www.platform11.org/media/pres...&no=pr_04.html

27-02-2006, 19:55	#3
Kevin K Kelehan Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: West Tower Posts: 355	In future can the expression 'unprecedented investment' be altered to rising or growing investment? I for one do not feel that the investment is unprecedented on a European scale and at a point 10 years after the commencement of the National Development plan Dublin will still have a very poor rail system by reference to the population level for comparable european cities. I do however agree that the unions are way out of line on this.

27-02-2006, 19:58	#4
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	Its unprecedented in terms of Irish Railway history. Until we catch up with the rest of Europe, it will always be unprecedented. Sorry Kev.

27-02-2006, 20:00	#5
Kevin K Kelehan Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: West Tower Posts: 355	No need to be sorry, in fact I am sorry not to be in a position to spend the hours that you all put in to this.

28-02-2006, 09:13	#6
markpb Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 541	Other than lack of political will/backbone, what would the complications be in introducing something like New York's Taylor law in Dublin/Ireland? It would be a fantastic stick for IE and the govenment to beat the rail unions with everytime they do something like this.

28-02-2006, 17:32	#7
Thomas J Stamp Chairman/Publicity Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The Home of Hurling Posts: 2,708	Partnership wouldnt allow it................ also these strikes are "Unofficial" for a reason, they are against the law under the 1990 Industrial Relations act which introduced strike notices and secret ballots. If a registerd trades union strikes without following the act their assets can be confiscated and they lose their tortious imminuty. And that was a bertie law I think.

28-02-2006, 20:49	#8
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	Therefore "unofficial" allows chaos to rein and the unions to get off the hook, without any accountability to the passenger. Same old story and its probably why the RPA are the darlings of rail transport in Dublin while IE work laboriously with DASH and the KRP and have another 10 years at least in which to trot the same old line, "we don't have the capacity on the loop line, but we have a plan in place to build capacity and subject to funding we hope to begin construction of the interconnector tunnel very soon." Yeah right. Wake up lads.

28-02-2006, 22:27	#9
Thomas J Stamp Chairman/Publicity Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The Home of Hurling Posts: 2,708	It does make a complete joke of thelaw the way it's so easily circumvented. Think of how many "Unofficial" stoppages there have been, all co-incidently by union men and women. As you point out the union can say "nothing to do with us, mate" The gas thing is I was in a union once and found it to be a fairly hopeless experiance. The impression we were given from union managment was that if we were to take industrial action we would be in breach of partnership and therefore we would lose out on benchmarking ect. Every frightener was brought to bear leaving the staff utterly demoralised. Somehow I dont think that happens on the railways though.

28-02-2006, 23:22	#10
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	In one ThomasJ. Because, rail unions are unique. In this country anyway, it goes back to the early 1920s when rail staff worked under deplorable terms and conditions due to the greed of rail bosses. The growing union faction found an easy route in when the GSR was founded and compounded that position upon nationalisation under CIE. Believe it or not, we can actually blame the rail managers pre 1925 for treating staff with such contempt, that it fostered a unionised culture that is now abused beyond belief in a much more civilised 21st century. Only problem is the union culture within our railways, still thinks its dealing with a 1913 lock out mentality amongst management. Theyt need to move on or be pushed.