Rail strike, Threat averted
The threat of industrial action on the country's railways has been averted. Brendan Ogle of the Irish Locomotive Drivers Association said that Rights Commissioners have agreed to hear the cases of the eight train drivers who are facing disciplinary proceedings on an individual basis.
A spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann claimed that the real reason that industrial action had been avoided was that the ATGWU had refused to back it. This was denied by Mr Ogle, who said that ILDA had received "tremendous support" from the union.
Iarnród Éireann management has said that they will not attend any hearings by Rights Commissioners and that ILDA's move is just another ploy to secure recognition.
Mr Ogle insisted that the ILDA's objective throughout the row was to get its members' cases heard. He said that he was now happy that the rights commissioners would be able to hear what he claimed was the "disgraceful" way in which his members had been treated.
