[article]Train drivers’ dispute triggers rail delays

[Mark Gleeson]

Train drivers’ dispute triggers rail delays

By Paul Kelly, Consumer Correspondent
HUNDREDS of rail passengers suffered hours of delays after Iarnród Éireann axed more than a dozen services in and out of Dublin over Easter.


Irish Rail said further services would be cancelled tomorrow in another day of delays triggered by a dispute with drivers over rosters.

Last night passenger groups said the cancellation of services was an unacceptable inconvenience to the public and urged passengers to demand refunds.

“We are unhappy with the situation and especially over the lack of information from Iarnród Éireann,” said Rail Users Ireland (RUI) spokesman Mark Gleeson. “We would urge all affected passengers to put in for the refunds at Iarnród Éireann booking offices or online.”


Yesterday four trains on the Dublin Heuston to Cork line were cancelled. Iarnród Éireann also made minor alterations to other services on the route and to trains on the Tralee to Mallow line.

In addition 10 services on the Dublin-Maynooth line were cancelled.

Services between Dublin Connolly and Sligo, Belfast, and Rosslare Europort were replaced by bus transfers.

Last night the RUI blamed driver shortages in Cork for the cancellation of services to and from Dublin and knock-on effects to trains in Munster.

“There aren’t enough drivers in Cork, so drivers are being telephoned on their day off and asked to work,” said Mr Gleeson.

“They get a roster at the start of the week and they stick to it. Staff don’t want to work on their days off.”

The RUI said passengers were entitled to a refund of half the single fare if their train was cancelled and should get the money even if they travelled on a later service. Those with a reserved seat might be able to get a full refund of a single fare if they were forced to catch a later journey and had to stand, the RUI said.

Tomorrow’s cancellations are: the 1.38pm from Connolly to Clonsilla and the 2.10pm Clonsilla to Docklands trains; the 3.40pm and 6.08pm Connolly to Maynooth trains, and the 5.05pm and 6.58pm return services; the 2.45pm Pearse to Balbriggan train and the 4.16pm return; and the 5.40pm Drogheda to Connolly train and the 6.15pm return.

Meanwhile the 4pm Connolly to Sligo and 5pm Sligo to Connolly services will be replaced by buses.

Iarnród Éireann said the disruption was due to “operational problems associated with drivers’ issues”.

Talks between management and unions have failed to resolve a number of issues, one being the number of rest days drivers are requested to work on.

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If you are an hour late 50% refund applies

[Mark Gleeson]

Word has come through that Irish Rail are refusing refunds

The charter as quoted indicates any reason within Irish Rail's control. These cancellations have been described as operational difficulties, driver issues and so on. Matters within the control of the company

Since there is no official or unofficial strike action ongoing, there is no get out cause

Any passenger holding a reserved ticket for a cancelled service is entitled to a full refund even if they get a seat on the replacement train and that is less than one hour later than the reserved one

Passengers are afforded insufficient notice of cancellations

Discounts in the Event of Delays

If your service is seriously delayed for any reason within our control, you may be entitled to a discount voucher.

If, because of circumstances within the control of Iarnród Éireann, you are more than one hour late in arriving at your destination, we will normally offer you discount vouchers for use against future ticket purchases. The value of discount vouchers is based on the length of delay and the fare you have paid for your single journey.

For delays of one to two hours, we will give you vouchers to the value of 50 % of the fare you have paid for the portion of your journey affected.

For delays over two hours, we will give you vouchers to the value of 100% of the fare you have paid for your single journey.

Discounts in the Event of Service Failures
If we fail to honour your seat reservation, and no other seat of similar standard on the same service is available for you, we will refund the fare of your single journey in travel vouchers.

If we fail to provide in-seat catering in First Class or City Gold carriages, where this is advertised as part of the service, we will give you a refund to the value of the First Class/CityGold supplement in travel vouchers.

Claiming Discount Vouchers
To apply for discounts you will need to fill in an application form. These forms will be available at the ticket offices in all main stations, Travel Centres and at the DART Office, Pearse Station.

You MUST attach your ticket to the completed form as proof of travel and provide any other supporting evidence as required.

[Mark Hennessy]

Barry Kenny on Morning Ireland (unchallenged as always on RTE) suggested that the drivers are ignoring the LRC, their union and an independent arbitrator by refusing to work beyond their rostered hours.

[Mark Gleeson]

Nice to see Irish Rail couldn't restrain themselves from breaking the media blackout about the talks, all over the indo as well

Question have all drivers voted on the LRC recommendations? We haven't heard anything

The talks 'The Phil Flynn' ones are still ongoing again, have all drivers voted on the Phil Flynn proposals? We haven't heard anything

Until a vote is taken we know nothing and the passenger continues to suffer, we now in week 7 of the trouble

by refusing to work beyond their rostered hours.

Doesn't that sound stupid?

[markpb]

Originally Posted by Mark Hennessy

by refusing to work beyond their rostered hours.

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Doesn't that sound stupid?

It does and they're right but I think, in this case, RUI need to tone down the attacks on Irish Rail. The average passenger doesn't care about rostered hours, internal disputes or the difference between a strike and what we have now. Every time RUI try to explain why it's Irish Rail's fault, it looks like they're defending the drivers which won't win us many fans. People don't need to understand why their train didn't run, they just want to see someone put pressure on IR and government to get it sorted.

[Mark Gleeson]

We just did the piece for RTE TV news, we have not and will not make any official statement concerning the talks themselves or the issues within (which is very very long), nor will we apart from seeking a prompt and permanent resolution. There is an issue with drivers not working their rest days, that is public knowledge and a fact agreed by IE and the unions in recent statements, thats the cause and I think the public have a right to know the reason.

Passenger pays Irish Rail for the ticket, regardless of what happens in the background, if the train is cancelled its Irish Rail's problem. The passenger is entitled to the truth, Irish Rail have failed utterly to provide up to date information they have inflamed the situation.

There was a media blackout in place, to enable talks and discussions to continue, we have told every journalist that contacted us that it was in place and that we could only talk about the situation for passengers. In fact thats how its always been for us.

There are 3 service alterations in Cork and 5 cancellations today and every weekday in Cork, won't see anything on the Irish Rail website about it. We keep mentioning it but still Irish Rail don't put it online

What of next year, WRC, Cork Midleton and so on? Clearly more trains require more drivers

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by markpb

It does and they're right but I think, in this case, RUI need to tone down the attacks on Irish Rail. The average passenger doesn't care about rostered hours, internal disputes or the difference between a strike and what we have now. Every time RUI try to explain why it's Irish Rail's fault, it looks like they're defending the drivers which won't win us many fans. People don't need to understand why their train didn't run, they just want to see someone put pressure on IR and government to get it sorted.

I see the point you are making, but in this case the issue is not an industrial dispute, passengers are not being held to ransom by any demands by one group.

Irish Rail management have not managed their resources correctly and as such the traveling passengers are being put out simply because of the management alone.

The timetable relies on drivers volunteering to work on their rest days.
If they don't volunteer then the services don't run. Thats it, no spin, no attacks on Irish Rail, just the truth of the situation.

[zag]

I agree that it's a management problem, not an employee problem and I think RUI should be vocal on this issue. RUI is a rail user organisation, not an employer, industry or union mouthpiece. Users are being inconvenienced because of a fundamentally flawed approach to running the service. It is under resourced and will continue to be until IE either cancel the extra services or else hire more drivers.

Unless I'm missing something it is as simple as the fact that IE have scheduled X number of trains but only have drivers available for a number less than X trains. Trains will continue to be cancelled and users will continue to be inconvenienced 'at random' for as long as this situation doesn't change.

z

[Mark Gleeson]

Spot on zag thats exactly it.

Fail to plan, planning to fail. We are well versed in the inner working and power struggles within IE and this is clearly a management issue

We have no problem laying the blame at the unions when they goof it up, e.g. the 8 coach DART farce

Those interested can read the book by Brendan Olge of IDLA, it names names IE hasn't taken legal action against it so we have to accept that its contents are mostly accurate

[Mark Gleeson]

Just to let people know

We where on

Today FM at 17:05
RTE 1 six one news, top story
Newstalk at 18:05

Will have the Today FM piece online shortly, the RTE 1 piece will be on the RTE website

[sean]

what's the story with this?

Originally Posted by RTE News quoting Irish Rail

It also says there would be no need for any work to be outside rostered hours if drivers delivered the flexibilities and efficiencies they are already being paid for.

[Derek Wheeler]

Personally, having listened in, I think the RUI stance is weak. In particular the Newstalk piece certainly didn't portray the organisation in an attractive light. Overall, Ive heard nothing that the ordinary passenger could find appealing. It doesn't have to be about updating them on what trains are cancelled. IE are dominating the airwaves today on every news bulletin about them. More passion and humanity is required. Thats what passengers react to. The dispute in 2006 brought out the best in that approach. This time around sounds very like fence sitting, statistical rubbish.

Just my 2 cents and before some smart arse calls it sour grapes and an attack, its just an opinion that Im sure is shared by others.

[Colm Moore]

See the underlined, err bold bit.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0325/trains.html

Connolly services to return after disruption
watch listen Tuesday, 25 March 2008 20:08

Iarnród Éireann says it expects that services in and out of Connolly station will run as normal tomorrow after 16 services were cancelled today due to a dispute.

The 0630 service from Portlaoise to Heuston and the 1735 service from Heuston to Carlow, which have not been running since 11 February because of the dispute, will not operate tomorrow.

An escalation in the dispute between Iarnród Éireann and its train drivers led to 14 trains on Commuter and Intercity routes being cancelled today, while a further two were replaced by a bus transfer service.

Unions say the disruption has been caused by staff shortages and drivers' unwillingness to work overtime.

However, management has accused the drivers of breaching agreements.

Iarnród Éireann says drivers are refusing to carry out 'core rostered duties'.

It also says there would be no need for any work to be outside rostered hours if drivers delivered the flexibilities and efficiencies they are already being paid for.

These, it says, are separate to what is being negotiated about in ongoing talks.

The NBRU's Dermot O'Leary said today's cancellation of services was due to drivers choosing not to work on their rest days.

He said whether or not a driver chooses to work on a rest day is purely a voluntary decision for that driver.

Mr O'Leary also denied company claims that drivers are defying their own union.

He said the problem could be resolved if Iarnród Éireann management provided enough staff on the routes concerned.

But Mr O'Leary said there is huge frustration among many drivers about how long the negotiations on pay, pension and flexibilities are taking.

Iarnród Éireann has apologised to passengers for any inconvenience caused.

16 trains cancelled

Most of the disruption was in the afternoon and evening in the greater Dublin region with services to Clonsilla, Maynooth, Balbriggan and Drogheda being curtailed.

The Dublin-Sligo Intercity route was also affected with bus transfers being substituted on two services, one in each direction, this afternoon.

[Please note cancellation of 6.30am Portlaoise to Heuston train]
The following services were affected on Tuesday, 25 March:

As has been the case daily since 11 February, the 06.30hrs Portlaoise to Heuston and 17.35hrs Heuston to Carlow are cancelled.

The following were affected today:
12.30 Pearse-Drogheda: cancelled
13.38 Connolly - Clonsilla: cancelled
14.10 Clonsilla - Docklands: cancelled
14.15 Drogheda - Connolly: cancelled
15.40 Connolly - Maynooth: cancelled
17.05 Maynooth - Connolly: cancelled
18.08 Connolly - Maynooth: cancelled
18.58 Maynooth - Connolly: cancelled
14.45 Pearse - Balbriggan: cancelled
16.16 Balbriggan - Connolly: cancelled
17.07 Connolly - Balbriggan: cancelled
17.48 Drogheda - Connolly: cancelled
18.07 Balbriggan - Connolly: cancelled
18.15 Pearse - Drogheda: cancelled
16.00 Connolly - Sligo: bus transfer
17.00 Sligo - Connolly: bus transfer

Full details are on the Iarnród Éireann website