DART services could face renewed disruption next week because not enough drivers have agreed to provide rest-day cover while extra drivers are being trained. Iarnrod Eireann is continuing discussions with SIPTU and the National Bus and Railworkers' Union at local level today to try and fill the gaps.
From January 2nd, when the full schedule resumes to cope with increased commuter demand after the holiday season, cancellations will be inevitable unless more drivers agree to work rest days.
Thursday is the day when rosters are drawn up for the week, and it became clear yesterday afternoon that too few drivers were willing to work rest days. Sufficient volunteers were found to fulfil local requirements after discussions in Bray, but similar efforts failed at the Fairview depot.
"Right now we anticipate gaps in services", the company's human resources manager, Mr John Keenan, said yesterday. "We will be working to close those gaps with union officials and local representatives over the next couple of days."
He reiterated the company's claim that SIPTU and NBRU negotiators had promised restday cover until mid-May, when sufficient new drivers will be trained to operate the full service.
Mr Keenan cited the "New Deal for DART drivers", as well as verbal commitments by union representatives made in direct negotiations and Labour Court discussions, to support the company claim that rest-day working had been promised.
No union representatives were available for comment yesterday. However, after talks with the company about rest-day cover last week, they admitted that interim arrangements had been implicit in acceptance of the "New Deal".
Drivers would have to work one rest day every two to three weeks to provide cover until May, according to Mr Keenan.
Meanwhile, the company could face renewed problems with the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association whose executive is meeting this weekend to consider its response to the joint Labour Court-Labour Relations Commission investigation into its 10-week strike last summer.