Many busy train lines around the Republic will be closed today because of the unofficial dispute involving line maintenance staff which began yesterday. The lines were closed for safety reasons after staff refused to check tracks as part of their industrial action. Lines affected include those between Cork and Cobh; Limerick and Ennis; Kilkenny and Waterford; Greystones and Rosslare; Athlone and Westport; Ballina and Manulla; and Waterford and Rosslare.
Services were hit yesterday when some train drivers and other staff refused to pass pickets placed by the rail track staff. About 10,000 people were affected.
The dispute, which is not connected to the Dublin Bus dispute, involves unofficial industrial action by line maintenance staff over pay and conditions.
Afternoon and evening rail transport within Dublin and between Dublin and cities and towns was affected all evening by cancellations. A bus service was provided for some routes. Limerick, Galway, Tralee, Westport and Mallow were also affected by cancellations. About 16 DART trains were cancelled, amounting to about 20 per cent of the afternoon/evening service.
The train cancellations began yesterday afternoon when pickets were placed on stations in Dublin, including Connolly, Heuston, Inchicore, Bray and Fairview, and stations in Cork, Arklow, Athenry, Athlone and Ennis.
Mr Tony Tobin of SIPTU, which represents the staff, condemned Iarnrod Eireann for seeking an injunction against the pickets. "I think this is an absolutely deplorable decision . . . it has totally undermined my position," he said.
Mr Tobin also condemned Iarnrod Eireann for suspending staff who had refused to carry out work on tracks. Iarnrod Eireann said staff had not been suspended, but when they had refused to work with contract workers they had not been given any other work to do.
SIPTU said some of its members were then sent home. Iarnrod Eireann said they were available for talks but would not enter negotiations until the unofficial action was stopped.
While Mr Tobin appealed to workers to return to their posts, he said management was exacerbating the incident by treating workers in this manner. He said that of the 800 staff, whose duties include inspecting and repairing lines, 650 are on a basic wage of £210 a week and 150 are paid £227 a week.
Two weeks ago the Labour Court ruled that a 20 per cent increase - 12 1/2 per cent now and 7 1/2 per cent in nine months - should be paid to staff. While management agreed to the 20 per cent increase, workers wanted 30 per cent. The dispute also involves the issue of contract workers.
The dispute began on Monday night when Iarnrod Eireann was informed by unions that unofficial action would take place. While many stations around the country were affected early yesterday by the action, there were initially delays only on lines between Dublin and Westport-Ballina, Rosslare and Waterford. This was because speed restrictions were imposed on older lines in the absence of inspection staff. Later in the morning pickets were placed at Cork and the Cork-Cobh service was cancelled.
Passengers intending to travel by rail between Galway and Dublin yesterday had to take the bus for almost half of the journey.
An Iarnrod Eireann spokesman in Galway said: "This action is illegal as they have not yet balloted on strike action."