Striking line maintenance staff in Cork yesterday said they would not return to work with contract staff until Iarnrod Eireann addressed their claim for a 20 per cent pay rise, although they stressed they would report today to do their own work. Yesterday's unofficial action by staff in Cork caught most intending rail passengers by surprise, with many trying to arrange alternative transport to Dublin and provincial towns.
A SIPTU official, Mr Gerard Riordan, said linesmen felt Iarnrod Eireann was abusing their goodwill by asking them to work in a highly dangerous stressful job while also being on callout duty for just £210 basic for a 39-hour week.
"We're working on the permanent way making sure it's safe with trains passing us at 90 and 100 m.p.h. We're the people who have to go out and deal with any accidents," he said.
Mr Riordan said all Cork permanent way staff would be reporting for duty today and would work provided they were not rostered with contract staff who were being paid much more than them.
An estimated 3,000 passengers were caught up in the dispute which hit five mainline trains and over 20 commuter trains.
Iarnrod Eireann hired a number of private coaches to carry passengers from Cork to Dublin, with one bus leaving in the mid-afternoon. A further seven coaches were due to depart last night while a bus commuter service was also introduced between Cork and Cobh.
A Birr woman - who didn't wish to be named - said that her husband would have to drive from the midlands to collect her because of the unofficial strike.
A Limerick-Cork commuter, Mr Kieran Keohane, was preparing to catch a bus home after discovering the trains were not running, but he was highly critical of the level of service provided by Iarnrod Eireann.
