The Irish Locomotive Drivers’ Association (ILDA) looks set to announce another series of train strikes when its committee meets tomorrow.
ILDA executive secretary Mr Brendan Ogle said today that a dispute may be inevitable. He said: "our priority is, and will continue to be, to resolve all outstanding issues with as little impact on the travelling public as possible. We suspect that we are not to be allowed to do so."
ILDA claims Iarnród Éireann has not concluded disciplinary hearing against eight of its members.
However the Company says its procedures in respect of the eight were held to be sufficient by the Labour Court and accused the ILDA of disseminating "misleading interpretations."
Iarnród Éireann spokesman Mr Barry Kenny told ireland.comtomorrow's proposed strike announcement was "another instance of the ILDA refusing to recognise the ruling by third party - the Labour Court".
Sources say the Company will initiate legal proceedings against the ILDA for loss of revenue if the new wave of strikes goes ahead.
On Monday the ILDA’s committee met in Dublin but postponed announcing strike action until tomorrow.
"This branch . . . agrees to reinstate the industrial action it suspended on May 12 should Iarnród Éireann fail to process the [disciplinary] actions and all future actions by August 20", a motion passed at last Monday’s meeting said.
Under the law any strike announced tomorrow cannot begin for two weeks.
The new threat relates to May's rail strike by ILDA drivers that was suspended while the issues were investigated by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Labour Court. The ATGWU was seeking recognition for its ILDA branch.
