Luas drivers get 10% pay cut after failing to end action

Siptu has warned that the Luas dispute could continue into June and July and beyond after a pay cut was imposed over the on-going industrial action.

From today Luas drivers will see their pay cut 10 per cent after drivers failed to lift the on-going work-to-rule which has been in place for a number of weeks alongside strikes which have taken place on a number of occasions.

While there is no industrial action on Friday, Green Line services were disrupted by a technical fault. Many customers began walking along the Green Line Luas tracks on Friday morning after the Luas twitter account posted that there was no service on the line “due to a technical fault at the Sandyford depot”.

Services were restored to the line shortly after 9.30am on Friday although the company warned of some delays to the service.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast following a late night meeting of the union and drivers, Siptu divisional organiser Owen Reidy said the company’s move to cut 10 per cent in wages had “certainly ratcheted it up”.

“Drivers are frustrated, they felt that there was an attempt by the company in recent days to demonise the elected shop stewards, to try to create division, but it has backfired,” he said.

“There is a school of thought about an all out strike - that’s what the company wants. We will keep that under consideration, if we have to, we will.”

Transdev has warned staff deeper pay cuts could be imposed in the future while it also said it was continuing to consider other options such as lay-offs or short- term working for drivers who continue to strike or work-to-rule.

Mr Reidy said the company’s decision to go ahead with the 10 per cent wage cut did not come as a surprise but added that Siptu members would not be “humiliated into submission”.

Siptu has served notice of strike action on Wednesday, May 4th, Friday, May 13th, Friday, May 20th, Thursday, May 26th (four hours from 3pm–7pm) and Friday, May 27th. Thursday’s strike disrupted the travel plans of up to 90,000 people.

Luas drivers met on Thursday evening to decide on a response to the warning issued by Transdev management on pay.

Despite agreeing a revised pay deal with the company earlier this week, three non-driver grades of Luas employees did not turn up for work on Thursday, according to Transdev.

The next day of industrial action planned by drivers is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 4th.