A young man was interviewed by RTE in O'Connell Street, Dublin, yesterday and asked for his view on the threatened one-day stoppage by train drivers. Angry and confused, he replied: "What's it all about? What are they looking for?" Many members of the public will echo his surprise and wonder how this latest dose of hardship for commuters came about. And it's not just Dublin that will be adversely affected. Commuters to and from every big town in the State will feel the impact, as drivers on mainline trains will refuse to turn up for work.
The situation is that talks to introduce a restructuring and viability plan in Iarnrod Eireann have been going on for two years. Management says progress is being made, but the unions feel they are not going fast enough.
Then last week the chairman of CIE, Mr Brian Joyce, made a speech which proved to be the last straw. He called on the Government to state unequivocally that it would not interfere in the company's drive to conclude vital talks to implement the viability plans. "To bring the process to a conclusion we need an unequivocal and unambivalent statement from our shareholders that they require us to implement the changes and that they will not be party to the negotiation, conciliation and arbitration process." Mr Joyce said the reluctance of successive governments and departments to countenance a disruption to the service was always a trump card.
The drivers - members of SIPTU and the NRBU - were incensed and said Mr Joyce was trying to tell them how to "conduct our business". They called for his resignation. They also claimed management was not serious about negotiations and was stone-walling to get the matter sent to the Labour Court. They said they wanted "serious and meaningful" negotiations.
Management has a different view and says what it is offering will improve salaries and conditions for drivers. Management says a new pay offer of £27,500 for drivers for working 48 hours on the basis of five-day working over seven days was on the table. This would replace all existing premium payments, including shift and overtime payments. Train drivers have a basic pay of £13,500, which is topped up by overtime and other premium payments, bringing the average to more than £25,000.
Basically, the company is trying to reach agreement on implementing changes in work practices and cost-saving measures which would save £44 million.
The National Locomotive Drivers' Association, which claims to represent 120 drivers throughout the State, has condemned the one-day stoppage. Its chairman, Mr Brendan Ogle, has appealed to the drivers not to go ahead with their action because of the "irreparable damage" it would do to their profession in the public mind. He described such action as "futile and self-defeating" and said it would bring the trade union movement into disrepute.
He said the stoppage would put "intolerable pressure" on his members and it was already proving very difficult for them, as they are coming under terrible pressure from their colleagues. "However, I want to make clear that we are totally opposed to this futile, self-defeating action."
While most parts of the State will be affected by today's stoppage, the frustration in Dublin is worst. The capital has been closed down in recent months for the Tour de France, the Garda protests, and the farmers' march. On top of that, harassed commuters have to face traffic chaos every day coming to and going home from work. They have been advised to use public transport. Now those who do are thwarted too. The patience of Dublin businesses and commuters is at breaking point.