Cork rail passengers will face disruptions next Monday if an unofficial strike by train drivers goes ahead.
The dispute centres on the planned introduction of the new Maynooth service, which SIPTU branch secretary Mr Tony Tobin claimed earlier this week, is being made without co-operation or roster agreements. Unions have also recommended to their members to reject a Labour Court recommendation on parity claims with DART drivers.
Iarnród Éireann spokesman Mr Barry Kenny said today the Cork route would suffer the brunt of the action.
Drivers have said they will refuse to work their rest days from next Monday, creating a shortage of drivers across the whole system.
Mr Kenny called on unions to try to influence their members to call off the action. He said the drivers had no basis for the disruption since they had not yet voted on the Labour court recommendations.
NBRU general secretary Mr Liam Tobin said he had urged drivers not to proceed with the strike.
But he said drivers were annoyed and frustrated that they had not been consulted about the introduction of extra trains on the Maynooth line from August 13th.
Mr Tobin said he was surprised that negotiations with all parties on this issue had not taken place before now.
He said the action could go on indefinitely.