A strike set to affect the country’s rail service has been averted following a meeting of the Irish Locomotive Drivers Association (ILDA).
The group, which had threatened to take industrial action in support of eight members facing disciplinary action by Iarnrod Éireann, said it called off the threatened strike action because the Rights Commissioners had agreed to hear the train drivers’ cases.
Iarnród Éireann has said it was pleased industrial action was avoided but was still unclear what basis the ILDA was working on and said it did not recognise the organisation as a legitimate union.
There are no provisions in Iarnrod Éireann company procedures for a referral to the Rights Commissioners who are appointed by the Labour Relations Commission.
Last week the Labour Court issued its opinion stating that Iarnród Éireann's disciplinary procedures were fair and said ILDA drivers could be represented at appeal tribunals by the existing trade union nominees, Mr Liam Tobin, of the National Bus and Railworkers' Union, and Mr Tony Tobin, of SIPTU.
But ILDA branch secretary, Mr Brendan Ogle, had called the Labour Court opinion "desperately flawed".