Minister for Transport Shane Ross has said it is "particularly disappointing" that the travelling public will have to "enjoy yet more disruption" due the Luas strike.
Speaking in the Dáil, he said that the taxpayer cannot be expected to bear any financial burden in the dispute between Luas drivers and the operators of the trams, Transdev.
Responding to questions from AAA/PBP TD Mick Barry, he said, "any resolution reached cannot impact on the contract that is in place between Transdev and the NTA.
The minister said his focus is to protect the interests of travellers and to encourage the parties to work to resolve their differences.
He said any agreement must deliver sustainable wage rates that do not involve higher fares for the travelling public.
He added that he was aware "that there are those who sought to capitalise on this dispute to attack the very manner in which Luas services are operated."
He said that he believed that any intervention by him or by others without a legal function or role in this dispute "will not be helpful".
His remarks come as Transdev warned drivers if they proceed with their four-hour stoppages scheduled for the coming weeks, they will be docked a full day's pay.
Transdev has previously warned drivers that because of the intermittent strikes and an ongoing work-to-rule, they would consider a number of options including lay-off without pay, short-time working, and/or a reduction or elimination of pay on foot of partial performance of contracts of employment.
Employees remain on protective notice of lay-off and short-time working, and the drivers have been excluded from the Transdev sick pay scheme amid allegations that absence levels have almost tripled.
In response, SIPTU has accused Transdev of of "pouring fuel on the fire".
Divisional Organiser Owen Reidy alleged that the company was out of control and operating in a reckless way.
He added that Transdev’s behaviour was unacceptable when operating a State contract.
Mr Reidy said it seemed that every day there were new initiatives from Transdev to break the collective agreement, adding that if the union operated in that way they would be injuncted.
In a letter sent to SIPTU late last night, Transdev Ireland Managing Director Gerry Madden warned that if the planned strikes go ahead and if employees "do not commit in writing not to engage in strike action and 'work-to-rule' and to working their full designated shifts in advance of the dates" the company will not pay employees at all for those days.
Mr Madden said that in order to ensure a service on 8, 9 and 10 June – when the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams will be under way – they will write to employees separately in relation to those dates.
He also stated that the company is continuing to consider its position in relation to the other options open to them in respect of employees engaged in strike action and the work-to-rule.
He warned that if any employee engages in unofficial industrial action, Transdev will impose the full costs and losses associated with the unofficial action on employees involved in such action.
In the letter, Mr Madden gave the union and individual workers until 20 May to respond before the withdrawal of pay is implemented.
Mr Reidy said Transdev is on the media offering rhetoric about resolving the row, yet continued to impose threatening measures.
Mr Madden denied the company is "pouring fuel on the fire" and said it is responding to continual strike action and doing what it has to do.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, he said the company is having to manage its business in very difficult circumstances and denied it was trying to force drivers into an all-out strike.
He added that the tactics that we are now seeing are deliberately designed by SIPTU to cause maximum disruption to passengers and maximum financial hardship to the company.
NBRU criticise Transdev over threat to deduct full day's pay from Luas drivers
Meanwhile, the National Bus and Rail Union has criticised Transdev for threatening to deduct a full day's pay each time Luas drivers conduct four hour strikes in the coming weeks.
In a statement, NBRU General Secretary Dermot O'Leary said it was appalling to think that a transport company funded by taxpayers' money could be allowed to play "footloose and fancy free" with the rules of engagement around industrial relations disputes.
He said the NBRU was concerned that the approach being pursued by Transdev of deducting wages, suspending sick pay, and threatening legal action would become the de facto template for other employers to follow.
He said the NBRU would not countenance such scenario in any companies, including the CIE group, where they represent transport workers.
He said workers were entitled to campaign for improved terms and conditions, and to engage in industrial relations as a last resort.
However, he said employers abdicating staff relations responsibility "at the alter of Thatcherite-type solutions" was not conducive to dispute resolution.
The NBRU and SIPTU will attend the Workplace Relations Commission tomorrow for talks aimed at resolving a row at Irish Rail over issues including the restoration of pay cuts, a claim for further increases, and the introduction of a 10 minute DART service.
