Unofficial strike action went ahead at Westport train station yesterday, despite a promise that the Labour Court would hear drivers' grievances next Friday.
The six drivers - four in SIPTU and two in the ATGWU - ignored pleas from union officials not to go ahead with the unofficial action.
The dispute centres around a nationally-agreed rostering deal which would give train drivers a weekly 48-hour contract. Rail management wanted Westport drivers to agree to roster changes before they agreed to the 48-hour contract. Westport drivers refused, claiming that management should implement the national agreement before any rostering changes.
Drivers in all other stations are on the new agreement. "It is our wish to resolve this," said Mr Myles McHugh from Iarnród Éireann. "Rosters were changed in some other depots. The problem here is that there is a blanket refusal in Westport to deal with the issue," he said.
"We want to pay the 48-hour contract but it would not be right to pay it for work content of 28 hours (per week)," he added. Westport drivers have refuted the 28-hour claim, saying some drivers already work 12-hour days. In a statement, the drivers claim they have attempted to resolve the issue for the past 2½ years.
"On every step of the way management have refused to pay us what we are due. It is therefore with regret that we have been forced into this position," they said.
Each driver claims he is owed more than €11,000 since the national agreement was implemented in October 2001.