Despite hopes in March that the disruptive strike action on Dublin’s Luas tram system over pay was over the dispute is ongoing with further strikes due to take place later this month and into May. The last we reported on this damaging saga was in March when a deal seemed to have been reached following lengthy discussions but this pay offer was rejected with workers demanding higher pay increases.
It may be remembered that this dispute was first in the news at the start of 2016 with various reports suggesting that workers on Luas wanted pay rises of between 40% and 53% as they weren’t paid as much as those who worked in similar jobs on the Irish rail network. Unsurprisingly Transdev – operators of Luas – said that increases of this size were not sustainable and so the first strikes were called. Talks took place at the Workplace Relations Commission and the result of this was that there would be an 18.7% incremental pay rise for drivers over 33 months (this would have been an immediate 2%, a further 2% in January 2017, 3% in January 2018 and 3% in January 2019) – other grades of worker on Luas would have received slightly different pay increases.
The Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (Siptu) agreed to put this deal to their members which they did but it was rejected leading to further strike action earlier this month. More talks took place between the Union and Transdev recently but the result of this seems to be that both sides are further apart than ever before with claim and counter claim in the press. Transdev claim that the demands are still in excess of what is sustainable and have allegedly warned Siptu that they may start to deduct wages if the dispute continues in order to cover losses and take legal action which could lead to reduced hours and redundancies. Siptu have warned that if this action is taken it could prolong the dispute and lead to an “all out indefinite strike”.
With no further talks planned all that is known is that the previous incremental pay increase has been withdrawn and that there will be further strikes on 23/24 April, 28 April, 4 May, 13 May, 20 May, 26/27 May.
Unfortunately as is always the case in industrial disputes like this the key people who no-one seems to care about is the passengers who would just like to go about their daily business getting to work, school or for a day out. Many of these people would probably love it if they were offered a pay increase such as the incremental increase but instead are probably having to spend more money on getting to and from work. Whatever happens the reputation of Luas has taken a huge hit and it will probably take a long time for this to be restored regardless of the outcome.
Does any BTO reader living in Dublin know whether ALL Luas staff take strike action, or only some? If the latter, surely Transdev could run at least a skeleton service on strike days, if necessary calling on qualified office staff to drive. Then do what Ronnie Reagan did with the striking US air traffic controllers – sack all those that refuse to work, hire new people and train them as quickly as possible. I’m sure there are many unemployed skilled Irish people who would be only too glad to take the place of the greedy strikers.
If determined action isn’t taken soon, worse than the Luas reputation ‘taking a huge hit’, we could see the whole operation close down, which would be a shocking scenario.
Its been source of frustration that remuneration packages lag well behind and struggle to understand why anyone would consider tram drivers greedy. Would not surprise me in the slightest if we see an escalation in the coming months and other places started to wake up and realise that their respective tramways treating them incredibly poorly. Am not advocating parity with their heavy rail colleagues but surely their salaries should reflect that they are operating in skilled professional safety environment where they are in position of responsibility.
Looking elsewhere Blackpool Transport Services remuneration packages fall well below what you would expect. The point where guards earn very similar amount to drivers and experienced tramway staff often feel compelled with heavy heart to jump across to earn more money at the same company doing same hours driving buses. Clearly its unsustainable. As Tramways & their operators see the profits rise its time they rewarded the staff ultimately out there making it. Clear to anyone following the tramway closely staff relations with management couldn’t get much worse under the previous regime you just hope that its something that the current team address head on. Staff retention & staff progression important part of any company. A salary of circa £16-17,000 simply not enough. Progression pay borders on laughable talking pence rises nothing meaningful for additional roles on top of driving.
Nobody wants strikes. Everyone looses in the short term as result of them but honestly think stronger unions across the various light rail networks is needed. Unions do a lot more than just pay… and people seem to forget that.
2016 and we still see these events where the management is at loggerheads with the workers. The old cycle of threats and counter-threats go on as they did in the days of the 1911 tramway strike in Liverpool or the 1913 general strike in Dublin. Nobody has learnt anything from history, and no good will come of it.