THIS WEEK WILL see SIPTU counting is ballots of Irish Rail staff members on proposed pay cuts.
The ballots of SIPTU members in Irish Rail are on fresh proposals for cost saving measures in the company, and come after direct engagement in June between management and trade unions.
Strike action
This was following an earlier ballot for strike action on Labour Court recommendations on pay and productivity proposals.
SIPTU represents almost 2,000 of 3,760 employees at Irish Rail.
In early June, Irish Rail Chief Executive David Franks said that he believed there “is a willingness on all sides to constructively engage”, but that they had exhausted the avenues provided for under the industrial relations machinery of the State.
10 days later, SIPTU announced that its members in Irish Rail were to be balloted on fresh proposals for cost saving measures.
According to SIPTU sector organiser, Willie Noone, the proposals include:
definitive clarity on exchequer subvention for the rail service for the next three years and a guarantee that the company will not seek further pay reductions or changes to conditions of employment during that time.
He added that the timeframe for pay cuts has been reduced to 25 months and €1.2 million that was previously earmarked to come from payroll cuts are now to be obtained from non-payroll areas.
“Commitments have also been given by the company to address outstanding and unfulfilled trade union pay agreements,” he said.
The ballot began on 19 June and the result will be known on 11 July.
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