The Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association is to hold a general meeting this morning to review its position in the light of the failure of the latest informal peace initiative to end the 10-week-old rail dispute.
Whatever slender hopes that initiative had ended when ILDA drivers occupied the CIE board room on Wednesday evening.
Yesterday the executive secretary of the ILDA, Mr Brendan Ogle, said the meeting would consider all options, from a return to work under protest to renewed secondary picketing at bus and rail depots. He said there was "a closed alliance" of the State, trade unions and the company, which had "no resolution to this dispute short of crushing the ILDA out of existence".
There were no motions at this stage. "We will have to listen to what people have to say in the light of the severe financial pressure they are under, the latest action of the company in using the Garda to forcibly end a peaceful protest last night and the coverage of the media."
The decision of the ILDA executive to agree to a draft letter being sent to the chairman of CIE, Mr John Lynch, which implicitly concedes many of the ILDA's positions in the dispute, will also be discussed. Mr Ogle anticipated some criticism from members over that. He expressed confidence that if the ILDA sought the support of Dublin Bus workers again, it would get their support.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, has denied Mr Ogle's claim that she was aware last Sunday of the contents of a draft letter to be sent to Mr Lynch in an effort to end the dispute. A spokesman for the Minister said yesterday she did not see the letter until yesterday morning and had no prior knowledge of its contents.
The letter is understood to have been drawn up by a public relations consultant, Mr Fergus Finlay, in consultation with a former ICTU president, Mr Phil Flynn.
Mr Finlay would not comment yesterday, but Mr Flynn said: "This was essentially a matter between the company and individuals who wanted to achieve a return to work by the traindrivers."
He said he did not discuss the contents with Ms O'Rourke. Senior CIE sources said Mr Lynch did not receive the letter until Tuesday.
Any prospects of further consideration ended when Mr Ogle confirmed on RTE news on Wednesday afternoon that informal contacts were taking place between the ILDA and the company. Mr Ogle said his comments were intended to refer to other contacts he had with CIE.