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Title: Rail strike is averted Author: Donal Greene Date: 1994 Language: en Topics: letter, strike, Ireland, Workers Solidarity Source: Retrieved on 18th November 2021 from http://struggle.ws/ws94/ws42_rail.html Notes: Published in Workers Solidarity No. 42 — Summer 1994.
Dear Comrades,
One minute to mid-night on Friday 15^(th) April and the rail strike is
averted. SIPTU left it to the last minute leaving the company sweating
it out. The unions never had problems with negotiations. The strike
notice was only served after the company suspended workers for not
accepting new training arrangements which they were being forced to take
or face being suspended. The company had repeatedly refused to enter
negotiations because this productivity deal had been on the table for
three years.
The mass media could not hide from this one. It was to be the first
national rail strike in over 40 years. But they hid the facts about the
dispute and concentrated on one single issue — claims that the drivers
earn up to £20,000 a year. A similar claim like this was used against
workers in the Waterford Glass dispute. It attempted to portray the
drivers as privileged workers and thus divert public support from their
cause. They failed to mention the 70–80 hours work per week or spending
4–5 hours on a train with no toilet facilities often endured by the
drivers.
If the productivity deal goes ahead drivers will be asked to operate
trains without guards, in other words do two peoples jobs. The guards
will be re deployed to other depots and most likely do other jobs than
their own. Drivers could lose their mileage allowance which they earn
for long distance runs and also work a five out of seven day week.
Saturday and Sunday would become ordinary days and overtime lost.
On Friday at lunch time the company organised, against their will, 17
temporary Draftsmen and Engineers to go down to Rosslare to be used to
man the port, tying up boats, erecting the gang plank, and collecting
tickets. None of the staff had been trained to do these duties. The
company were prepared to put passengers safety at risk in order to
maintain profits. Fortunately this did not go ahead. In the short term
the workers have won and the company are on the run. Watch this dispute
closely. It may develop into massive strike action.
Donal Greene
TEEU member, Irnroid Eireann