Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
IT’S BEEN ONE of the biggest stories of the year and it shows no signs of a resolution.
The ongoing Luas dispute continues to cause headaches for commuters, with more strike days planned this month and next.
Workers are looking for better pay and conditions, including improvements to sick pay, shift durations, pension arrangements and overtime rates.
Negotiations have been very on-off in recent months, with no end in sight.
In the latest twist, Transdev has suspended the sick pay scheme for Luas workers and warned drivers if they proceed with planned four-hour stoppages due to take place in the coming weeks they will be docked a full day’s pay.
The absence rate for drivers is currently running at approximately 12%, compared to an absence figure of about 4.5% last year.
Siptu organiser Owen Reidy told Today with Seán O’Rourke Transdev’s behaviour is forcing workers to continue their action.
“All they are doing is pouring fuel on the fire and making a difficult situation worse,” he said.
In reply, Transdev’s managing director Gerry Madden told the News at One the company had made drivers “very reasonable offers” and is “trying desperately to do a deal and be reasonable”.
As members of the public face the prospect of more service disruptions, we take a look at some of the key events that have taken place in the dispute so far this year.
January
Luas drivers voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, with a Siptu representative saying that 24 or 48 hour stoppages were “quite likely”. Some 221 of the 223 employees who took part in the ballot voted in favour of industrial action.
Drivers were essentially seeking pay parity with Irish Rail drivers. Currently, the top Luas salary after 10 years of service is around €42,000. Siptu was calling for an increase in the starting salary to €35,000 – up from €32,000, rising to €60,000 after 10 years.
Reidy said at the time: “In talks over the last 18 months, Transdev has failed to offer an increase in pay for the next five years to Luas workers. The company position in talks in all forums has been that it will only offer pay increases in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The CPI is currently, and has been for some time, a negative figure. This means that unlike 96% of other companies across the state Transdev is not prepared to pay any increase in pay in excess of that attached to workers existing conditions of employment.
Transdev, however, said that the Luas drivers’ demands were unreasonable.
The claims being pursued by Siptu on pay alone are between 8.5% and 53.8% depending on the pay scale, and would cost Transdev €30 million over the five years of the Luas operating contract – €6 million per year. This is at a time when Transdev finds itself in a loss making situation. The loss incurred by Transdev in 2015 was €700,000 and we are predicting further losses in 2016.
Luas drivers served strike notice for four days in February.
Talks between workers and the company in the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) broke down at the end of January.
February
Transdev told workers who are taking part in strike action they will have wages for up to four days docked from their pay packets.
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) asked both sides in the dispute to come in for separate negotiations.
Mark Stedman / RollingNews.ie
Mark Stedman / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie
Kieran Mulvey of the WRC told Morning Ireland that seeking a pay rise of 53% was “unusual, to be blunt”.
Mulvey said everyone is losing in the situation – drivers are losing pay, the company is losing revenue and 90,000 commuters are “struggling to get to work” every day the strike continues.
He backed up then Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe who had said it was not his place to intervene.
Advertisement
March
A planned strike for 8 March is called off.
Both sides attend talks at the WRC in a bid to avert three further planned stoppages on St Patrick’s Day, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
Luas employees reduced their pay claim significantly. (They are now looking for a pay rise of 27% (down from 53%) which would see a salary increase of circa €13,000 to about €55,000 over the next five years.) Transdev said the revised demands are still beyond the company, but form the basis for further discussion.
The company cancelled plans to operate a private bus service on St Patrick’s Day after unions described the tactic as “scab labour” and “Thatcherite”.
The St Patrick’s Day strike was called off as talks continued.
Luas strikes go ahead on Easter Sunday and Monday, when state commemorations to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising are taking place, after workers reject WRC proposals.
Reidy said Siptu had compiled feedback from members in the driver grade as to why they have rejected the proposals, including the following:
Drivers did not want to accept a new pay scale that leaves new entrants on lower pay than current staff;
Drivers are of the view that the productivity sought in the proposal was disproportionate and vague in the case of the Luas extension;
Drivers also expressed concern that they did not trust how management would implement such productivity measures.
April
A war of words broke out between Mulvey and Siptu chief Jack O’Connor.
Mulvey told Morning Ireland most union representatives would get a “standing ovation” if they returned to their members with the proposals put forward by Transdev.
O’Connor said Mulvey’s remarks “demonstrated his bias” against Siptu and rendered him unsuitable to mediate the dispute.
A Claire Byrne Live/Amárach Research poll found that 80% of people did not support the industrial action, while just 12% of people support the strikes and 8% said they don’t know.
Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie
Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie
Richard McCarthy, a Luas driver and shop steward, told TheJournal.ie Luas workers were being unfairly portrayed as “greedy hounds”.
“This isn’t a pay claim, it’s a negotiation. It’s the only forum we have every five years to change pay and conditions. This round of negotiation was supposed to begin in 2014. But the company delayed and then entered into protracted negotiations.
They’ve known for a long, long time that this was coming, even if the public has only really been aware since February.
One of the planned stoppages was called off to facilitate more talks.
Negotiations on a deal broke down after Transdev balked at a 26.5% claim by drivers. The three other grades at the company voted to approve a 13% claim.
Drivers have their pay cut by 10% for continuing a work-to-rule protest alongside strike action.
May
Strikes continued in May, with further action planned for later this month and June. Some of the stoppage times were changed to avoiding impacting students sitting the Leaving and Junior Cert.
Shane Ross, the new Transport Minister, said he won’t get involved in the ongoing dispute.
Speaking on the Marian Finucane show on Saturday, Ross said his department is monitoring the dispute between drivers and operator Transdev but is “not going to do anything about [it]“.
“The Luas strike is not something which a minister … can or should get involved in.”
He added that this is “a private sector company in a dispute with its staff” and he’s not going to “take out the state’s chequebook” to resolve it.
Later that day, on Saturday with Claire Byrne, Siptu’s O’Connor said it’s not true that the government can’t intervene.
There’s no one looking for [Ross] to use the state chequebook, we understand perfectly why that’s not an option.
“He said he neither can nor should, but he actually can or at least the government can, without taking its chequebook with it,” O’Connor said, referencing section 38 of the Industrial Relations Act 1990.
He said the new jobs minister, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, could ask an outside body such as the Labour Court to intervene if she believes it’s in the public interest.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
They move at some pace, I reported these symptoms,along with a cough nine/ten weeks ago ,was told I didn’t have enough symptoms to be tested . Our country is going bankrupt, and the people who can’t run our health service ,are given free rein. May God help us !
@Glammymammy: yep.. I put things like deep heat and vix directly under my nose. Looked like a mad eejit I’d say. I sprayed towels with lynx and perfume..nothing . Tried all strong foods I could think of. 0 smell or taste of anything. Mad a concoction of lemon juice salt pepper and had that out of pure frustration. Nada! Saved money on take aways tho:)
@Glammymammy: I lost my sense of smell for around a fortnight a few years ago after a bad vomiting bug, it was one of the strangest, unpleasant and for me frightening (it was sudden and I didn’t know if it would return) sensations . There is definitely no mistaking it, even things you wouldn’t usually notice the smell of, you immediately perceive their absence.
@Jesus Christ: Well, Simon Harris also introduced just now that a form has to be filled out if you want to enter the country while other countries are already lifting that requirement.
I would assume that they are just getting old newspapers cheaper.
@Jesus Christ: nothing’s happening, we’re the most transparent and honest of countries and we’re the only ones doing everything right compared to everyone else.
@Jesus Christ: maybe because they have a sample size high enough and this symptom appeared enough for them to make a CLINICAL DECISION BASED ON MEDICAL EVIDENCE. Maybe. Just freaking maybe.
That was already in the media 2 months ago. I’m wondering how this works. The media is already releasing something…. was that not a confirmed sympton, are we slow or needed the official workflow more clarity on this item?
Airbnb-style lock boxes to be banned from public spaces in Dublin after mid-April
44 mins ago
2.2k
3
Trump Tariffs
Trump says 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico will go ahead tomorrow
1 hr ago
4.3k
Anila Mucaj
Tributes paid to woman who died after being hit by SUV while jogging in Tralee, Co Kerry
16 hrs ago
50.2k
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 153 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 105 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 137 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 106 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 79 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 78 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 38 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 34 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 127 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 60 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 75 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 82 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 39 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 43 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 25 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 87 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 97 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 69 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 51 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 85 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 65 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say