The Minister for Transport has been given until Friday to provide clarification to transport unions to avert crippling industrial action on the State's transport network.
Following a four-hour meeting this afternoon of SIPTU's strike committee of Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann, the union said it was angry that clarification on future plans for CIE companies had not been forthcoming from Mr Brennan.
SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Workers' Union (NBRU) met with Mr Brennan for two hours yesterday on the plans to break-up CIE and privatise 25 per cent of Dublin Bus routes. The encounter was described as "tense" by Mr Brennan and as "a very frank exchange of views" by unions. The NBRU is also meeting in Dublin today.
SIPTU and the NBRU insisted they were given assurances yesterday that they would receive clarification from Mr Brennan, on matters raised at the meeting, by today. However, Mr Brennan has been at a Cabinet meeting this morning and is travelling to Brussels in the afternoon.
The gap between the two sides appears to be widening with the Department saying contacts with unions were ongoing, while, SIPTU said there had been no such contact.
Speaking to reporters after today's meeting of the joint strike committee, SIPTU's National Industrial Secretary, Mr Michael Halpenny, said the committee would announce details of a programme of industrial action on Friday if Mr Brennan's response was unsatisfactory or if it was not forthcoming by then.
"The joint strike committee will re-convene on Friday, January 30th, at 12 noon in Liberty Hall to consider his response — if any — and to assess if it provides the basis for moving forward on options other than franchising," said Mr Halpenny.
He added: "We are giving the Minister a final opportunity to respond by this Friday. If he doesn't respond satisfactorily, or, not at all, then he is on notice of industrial action.
"The ball is in his court".
The NBRU, said it would be meeting with other CIE unions over the next few days. General Secretary Mr Liam Tobin said: "I understand the Minister had to attend a Cabinet meeting this morning and then go on to Bruussels. Given the seriousness of the situation in CIE and the effects a dispute could have on our members, their families and the traveling public, we have no problem waiting a few days to hear his views".