Sir, – Can we please retain some perspective on the Luas strike on Easter Sunday and Monday (and at other times)?
In your paper on Saturday, it was described by Conor Pope as being “disastrous”. Similar language has peppered other reports referring to the industrial relations issues at the light-rail company.
The Luas offers little to the people on the northside of Dublin; nothing to those in the southside corridor through Harold’s Cross, Terenure and on to Rathfarnham; and nothing to those outside Dublin. The strike is wrong – of that there is no doubt – but except for those in one part of Dublin’s southside, and those in the west of the city, both having lost one transport option but who have an excellent alternative, it is inconvenient, maybe even a major inconvenience, but that’s all.
There are many outside the Pale who are delighted to have even one public transport option, and so the only potentially “disastrous” aspect here from a national perspective is the risk to Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann services if the dispute spreads.
Having to take a bus – now that is hardly “disastrous”. – Yours, etc,
T GERARD BENNETT,
Bunbrosna, Co Westmeath.
Sir, – Against the background of the current Luas dispute and the threatened strife in the CIÉ group of companies, David Begg has some wise words to offer on how labour issues should be handled ("Luas dispute could be resolved using different methods", Opinion & Analysis, March 26th).
However, we need as a society to think further through the implications of the immediate issues we are confronted with.
All workers, professional, skilled and unskilled, can be expected to deploy what leverage they can to maximise their earnings. And that is their right.
However, those working at the country’s economic and social choke-points, such as transport, electricity supply and air-traffic control, have an incomparably greater ability to get their way than other workers. This derives, as is clear from the current Luas dispute, from the disproportionate impact of the strike weapon in their hands.
But let us be clear-headed and unemotional about this – it would be unrealistic not to expect them to use that advantage. That fact of life needs to be recognised and addressed sensibly.
Therefore, as part of a return to some version of social partnership, perhaps the next government should be looking at a form of compulsory arbitration for such sectors. – Yours, etc,
OLIVER GROGAN,
Churchtown, Dublin 16.