Commuters in Dublin are facing the potential of serious disruption next month as Dart drivers warn of strike action over plans by Iarnród Éireann for a higher frequency service.
The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) and Siptu have warned of industrial action if the company presses ahead with plans to introduce new rosters to facilitiate the service without agreement.
The introduction of a more frequent Dart service is one of the key goals for Iarnród Éireann in 2016. It has said it wants the new 10-minute frequency service to begin by the end of this month.
About 90,000 passengers who use the Dublin rail system daily will be affected by two 48-hour work stoppages by Luas staff next month as part of a pay dispute.
NBRU general secretary Dermot O'Leary said on Friday: "The company informed the trade unions at the Workplace Relations Commission on the 13th January that they were going to move ahead and introduce the 10-minute Dart service without first getting the agreement of drivers."
“This has left us with no option but to ballot our members in response to what would be a major departure from how we would normally address fundamental change at Iarnrod Eireann.”
Siptu organiser Paul Cullen said his membershad been left with no option but to ballot for industrial action.
" Our members are deeply disappointed that the management of Iarnród Éireann seems intent on provoking further conflict with workers. This is despite the Labour Court recently proposing a negotiation process which aims to create a forum were solutions can be found to productivity issues at the company."
In December Dart drivers who are represented by the NBRU and Siptu rejected proposed roster changes to facilitate the introduction of a 10-minute frequency Dart service.
The NBRU also contended that the introduction of a higher frequency Dart service will involve reductions in the lengths of existing trains as Iarnród Éireann has no additional capacity to put in place to facilitate the planned higher frequency service .
“It appears that in the rush to announce a 10-minute frequency, the company has elected to not only dismiss staff concerns, but it also seems there may be potential problems with having to reduce Dart train sets from eight piece to six or possibly four coaches to facilitate extra trains, resulting in a reduced capacity at peak times ,” Mr O’Leary said.
Iarnród Éireann response
Iarnród Éireann accused senior trade union officials of NBRU and Siptu of preemptively seeking conflict over service improvement by withdrawing from normal roster change processes.
A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said “We had commenced our normal process of circulating rosters to local driver representatives for review and clarification prior to Christmas, within timescales detailed in our agreements whether service levels increase or decrease.
“However, in advance of this, senior trade union officials had ordered local Dart driver representatives not to even look at the new rosters, showing a preemptive wish in the union leadership to cause unnecessary conflict.”
“The rosters we have proposed can be delivered within all existing rostering parameters, as the number of drivers is being increased through training to facilitate this – it is not a productivity issue at all, and trade unions are misleading both the public and drivers by claiming otherwise, as demonstrated by the company at Workplace Relations Commission conciliation this week.”
The rail operator also rejected as “utterly false” claims that peak capacity would be reduced as a result of the introduction of the 10-minute frequency service.
“Overall peak Dart capacity will increase by over 20 per cent under these proposed schedules, as well as major enhancements in off-peak services.”
“A stronger business and service is good for our customers and all our employees including drivers, and we urge our trade unions to allow local representatives to work with us to deliver this.”
