Irish Rail Dispute

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dieter1

Registered User
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162
I've tried to find out WHY, Irish rail train drivers are on strike this weekend. There's nothing on RTE or on the Siptu website. Anyone have any info on this.

Its very frustrating.
 
I read that too, and this is all I can get.

'the refusal to facilitate the training of other drivers was unjustified'

Doesnt explain to me why I cant get to Cork this weekend on the train that I booked last week.
 
dieter1 said:
Doesnt explain to me why I cant get to Cork this weekend on the train that I booked last week.
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Eh, probably cos there's strike action. If I were you, I'd make alternative arrangements as trains seen to be getting cancelled at short / no notice.

For what it's worth, the dispute arises from the refusal of a train driver to operate 'flexible working arrangements', in which he was asked to drive a train to another employe that was being instructed.
 
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Wow Clubman, you're super. I still cant find more than one sentence as to WHY these people are on strike. Are they members of SIPTU? Why are some of the drivers on strike and not other, some sites mention roster problems, others mention training problems. Is there nothing official from either Irish Rail or SIPTU on this? I just need to know who to send an email to.
 
dieter1 said:
Wow Clubman, you're super.
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Thanks.
I still cant find more than one sentence as to WHY these people are on strike. Are they members of SIPTU? Why are some of the drivers on strike and not other, some sites mention roster problems, others mention training problems. Is there nothing official from either Irish Rail or SIPTU on this? I just need to know who to send an email to.
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How about
The dispute centres on drivers rosters.
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Thousands of rail passengers are experiencing significant disruption today as unofficial industrial action by Iarnród Éireann drivers in Cork escalates to other routes.

...

Services to and from Cork were hit yesterday morning after drivers operating out of Cork's Ceannt Station - members of the National Bus and Rail Union and Siptu - refused to operate trains in support of a colleague who was taken off the payroll.

According to Iarnród Éireann, the stoppage began after a refusal by a Cork-based driver to drive his train within his core roster on Thursday, to allow for training of new trainee drivers.
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That's more than one sentence.
 
Great stuff.... I just thought there would be an official statement from a body rather than hearsay from websites.
 
dieter1 said:
Great stuff.... I just thought there would be an official statement from a body
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Well it's an unofficial strike so the unions whose members are involved are probably not going to issue an official statement.
 
The union offical was on the radio this morning - I was very surprsied to be honest. Anyway he was saying Barry was misinfiormed again and was explaining that "as required dutes" were urgent duties etc.

Barry fought the good fight as per usual but it seems its going to drag on until next week.
 
At least irish rail had the decency to notify us of the chaos today in advance.
I paid and booked a seat for last friday, to discover there was nothing but an old orange train, packed to the gills, leaving heuston to cork, via every dublin commuter stop and midland town on the way. It was apparently an amalgam of a few cancelled trains.
As for the old reliable customer service ethos of their staff, I had the temerity to ask if my reserved seat would be available on this train, and was responded to with a terse " do you want to travel or not, not my problem"?
 
rob30 said:
I had the temerity to ask if my reserved seat would be available on this train, and was responded to with a terse " do you want to travel or not, not my problem"?
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They make no effort to enforce reserved seating at the best of times.
 
Those rail unions are far too strong. They should be broken.
 
rmelly said:
They make no effort to enforce reserved seating at the best of times.
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I had the opposite experience last time I travelled (Limerick Junction to Dublin) and the IR representative could not have been more polite and helpful. As it was my reserved seat was occupied by a very old dear and I let her have it rather than disturb her.
 
Not that chivalrous really - it was the wife!

Only joking - the wife got another seat in lieu of her booked one but I slummed it on the floor between carriages. Martyr that I am and all that...
 
Always a good reason to ensure that your bag is one of those wheely ones but with a very strong frame, so that you have a seat no matter what! :)
 
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