Irish Rail Workers Are Going On Strike
Train strikes are going ahead - after unions and management at Irish Rail failed to reach a deal on pay. Members of SIPTU and the NBRU have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.
Trade unions have confirmed that workers will engage in 24 hour strikes on 1st, 7th, 14th and 23rd of November and 8th of December.
The strikes are taking place on two crucial dates; the Ireland vs Denmark match on November 14th and a busy Christmas shopping day on the 8th of December.
Dermot O'Leary from the National Bus and Rail Union admitted that "no matter when you have a dispute on public transport, you will end up discommoding somebody".
Irish Rail's Barry Kenny says the company simply doesn't have enough money to offer the pay-rises wanted.
"We have got accumulated losses of €160m, and we can't do something that will pitch us towards insolvency, because that would risk our business and their jobs".
Labour's Transport Spokesperson, Senator Kevin Humphreys, has called on Irish Rail management and Minister for Transport Shane Ross to resolve the situation.
"At the heart of these disputes has been a failure by the Government to commit to appropriate levels of funding for vital public transport services. Once again the Budget failed to deliver on the needs of a growing economy that requires investment in vital public services", he said.
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