Irish Rail job losses possible, unions representing drivers say

Irish Rail drivers will have to drive more, and some jobs may be lost to achieve a desired pay rise and reduced working week, according to a briefing note from union bosses.

Addressing members yesterday, National Bus and Rail Union secretary general Dermot O'Leary and Siptu assistant organiser Paul Cullen accused Irish Rail of "descending to the depths in their attempt to divide and conquer" following the breakdown of industrial relations talks last week.

They say the company's claims that drivers would receive a 7.9 per cent pay rise as part of an offer put forward during Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) talks are "completely and utterly untrue".

They said this would require drivers to generate more money through being more productive.

“For the record, we have long accepted that in order to satisfy the ambitions of drivers, be it a reduction of the working week and an upward movement in salary-to-pension ratio or an increase in rates of pay, or perhaps a combination of both, drivers would have to drive more,” they said.

“We accepted the notion that driver numbers would be reduced . . . what we would not accept is giving the company a blank cheque when it comes to rostering.”

It was also alleged Irish Rail insisted the cost of the measures being sought by unions would be the equivalent of 45 extra driver positions.

The development comes as a further rail stoppage looms for Friday, November 6th, following a three-hour strike on 23rd October.

Workplace Relations Commission talks broke down last Thursday without agreement after nine days.

The briefing note added that company representatives said no increase, which would be reckonable for pensions, can be awarded to workers in Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann or Irish Rail until at least 2023 - a situation unions say is untenable.

Those who are paid between €55,000 to €100,000 annually have salaries that are 100 per cent pensionable, but some 1,000 frontline staff have salaries that are only 80 per cent pensionable.

Mr O’Leary and Mr Cullen noted the “irony” that those being sent out to negotiate on behalf of Irish Rail enjoyed a 100 per cent salary-to-pension ratio as many frontline workers remain on less favourable terms.