Unions representing train drivers at Iarnród Éireann have said they accept that drivers will have to drive more, and some jobs could be lost, if they are to achieve a shorter working week and better pensionable pay.
However, in a joint SIPTU/NBRU bulletin to drivers, the unions accuse management of attempting to divide and conquer with "unhelpful spin" by claiming that a pay rise of 7.9% over three years was on offer to drivers.
The drivers staged a three-hour stoppage last Friday and are due to take similar industrial action on Friday 6 November.
Talks at the Workplace Relations Commission aimed at averting the stoppages broke down last Thursday.
In the bulletin, NBRU General Secretary Dermot O'Leary and SIPTU Assistant Organiser Paul Cullen say that in order for any monies from the 7.9% increase to be made available to drivers, the drivers themselves would have to generate such monies through being more productive.
Irish Rail has consistently argued that the drivers' demand for a shorter working week would increase the overall drivers' pay bill and require the recruitment of up to 45 additional drivers.
They have also claimed any such moves would have to be covered by realisable cost savings and efficiencies.
However, the union negotiators contend that the reduction in working hours recommended by an External Review Group, coupled with a longstanding commitment from the company in relation to realigning contract and rostered hours could form the basis for a solution.
They say they have even offered to measure how that could be achieved, and accepted that driver numbers would be reduced - but warn they will not give the company a blank cheque on rostering.
They say an agreed ceiling on driving hours, taking account of various factors could over time deliver an increase in services, a reduction in driver numbers, a reduction in the payroll bill, and an improvement to drivers' terms and conditions.
SIPTU and the NBRU also tell their members that at last week's talks, the management argued that a previous funding proposal to address problems with the company pension scheme means that no pensionable increases can be awarded to any group of workers before 2023.
Mr O'Leary and Mr Cullen say this position was neither tenable nor sustainable.
They describe it as ironic that those who are sent out to negotiate have 100% pensionable salaries, while the pay of train drivers and other frontline operational staff is only 80% pensionable.
They say around 1,290 staff earning between €55,000 and €100,000 have salaries that are 100% pensionable.
They say there are around 700 predominantly clerical staff seeking pay rises who also have 100% pensionable pay.
However, they note that around 1,000 frontline operational staff only have a proportion of their pay factored into calculating their pensions.
They acknowledge that many of those with fully pensionable pay are covered by longstanding agreements exclusive to their grades.
