The head of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Mr David Begg, has warned the Taoiseach that widespread confrontation in the public transport arena could destroy the recently agreed national pay deal.
In a letter, seen by The Irish Times, Mr Begg expresses grave concerns about recent statements by the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, concerning the future of Aer Rianta and CIÉ.
The letter, sent last Friday to Mr Ahern, says an interview with Mr Brennan, published in The Irish Times, must be viewed as a "challenge to a head-on confrontation to Congress and its affiliated unions".
A copy of the letter has been sent to Mr Brennan, but a spokesman for the minister said he was currently awaiting a report from his officials on the consultation process with unions.
Mr Brennan is still committed to going to Cabinet with his proposals for the two State companies towards the end of the month, he added. ICTU itself refused to comment on the letter.
Mr Begg has previously expressed concerns about the timetable being adopted by Mr Brennan. In this letter he raises the prospect of damage to the social partnership deal, Sustaining Progress. "Quite frankly, I would fear for the very survival of the agreement if industrial confrontation is provoked in sectors of the economy under the control of government," he says.
He has requested an urgent meeting with the Taoiseach, although the Department of the Taoiseach would not say last night when this might take place.
In relation to Mr Brennan's comments in the interview, Mr Begg says: "The frequent use of the word 'will' attributed to the Minister conveys the impression that his intention is to put his plans into operation and that the discussion with the unions is little more than a tiresome exercise he has to go through on the way to achieving that objective."
Mr Begg makes it clear in the letter he has no problems with the Taoiseach's stance so far. "Let me be very clear on this, I do not doubt your personal bona fides with regard to your letter of February 10th, but we have to deal with the Government as a whole."
Mr Ahern sent the unions a letter on February 10th committing the Government to a "process of engagement" in relation to possible changes at State-owned companies.
Mr Begg says the ICTU hoped to facilitate this but it could now be problematic. "This position could quickly become untenable if the Minister intends to drive through change as seems to be suggested in his Irish Times interview".
Unions continue to express anger about the plans being advanced by Mr Brennan. Mr Liam Tobin of the National Bus and Rail Workers Union, said workers at Dublin Bus were "incensed" by Mr Brennan's approach.
He said despite an appalling level of subvention from the Government, workers at the company had managed to turn a profit. He said it was obvious Mr Brennan wanted to privatise Dublin Bus and ultimately franchise out all routes.
He rejected the Minister's claim that the EU could end up ordering the routes to be franchised out anyway. "The EU Commission recently said that is not the way to go," he said.
He claimed that if Mr Brennan went ahead with his plans, then Dublin Bus would have to hand over its buses and some of its garage space to private operators.
An Aer Rianta source said the mood among workers was deteriorating and already two unions - Mandate and the TEEU - had balloted for strike action. If the Government decided to transfer any of the company's assets then industrial action was likely.
