A train driver with Irish Rail yesterday secured a High Court order restraining the company from hearing disciplinary proceedings against him on Monday.
Mr John Rogers SC, appearing for 11 drivers who are members of the Irish Locomotive Drivers Association (ILDA), said a ballot on a new deal for the drivers which was due to commence on Monday had been suspended. Ms Justice Laffoy granted an interim injunction until Monday to one of the drivers, Mr Brendan Ogle, who had acted as a spokesman for the National Locomotive Drivers Committee before the ILDA was set up.
She also gave permission to serve Irish Rail with notice that the drivers intended to seek to prevent a conclusion of the new deal between Irish Rail and the unions.
The drivers will apply on Monday to have ILDA joined as a co-defendant in an action which Irish Rail has brought against the 11 named drivers.
Mr Rogers said Irish Rail was claiming that although the ILDA was a trade union, it was not entitled to negotiate as it did not have a negotiating licence. The ILDA was claiming to represent 108 locomotive drivers out of a 265 drivers.
Irish Rail was claiming that Mr Ogle had not abided by certain industrial relations procedures and induced breaches of Irish Rail's commercial arrangements with its customers.