Irish Rail CEO has questions to answer- Humphreys

Labour Transport spokesperson, Senator Kevin Humphreys has criticised the recent conduct of the Irish Rail CEO, saying he has questions to answer about the collapse of recent talks at the WRC, his letter to employees this week, and the internal financial preparations by management for a strike.

Senator Humphreys has said it is time for Minister Ross and the NTA to take action to ensure this dispute is resolved.

Senator Humphreys continued:

“The unprecedented approach taken by the Irish Rail CEO in recent weeks has raised a lot of questions that he should now answer.

“It is not acceptable that the Chief Executive Officer should be planning for five days of industrial dispute, while making no real effort to negotiate or build better relationships with his workforce.

“The CEO is treating the travelling public with contempt if he plans to put them through huge inconvenience with a further three days of industrial action.

“It is clear to me that no real effort was made to reach an agreement at the WRC, so it is a bit rich for the company to now call for the dispute to be referred to the Labour Court, when a possible agreement was torpedoed at the WRC at the last minute.

“If the CEO is serious about rebuilding trust it will not be done with an open letter to staff.

“It would appear that senior management have been prepared to escalate this dispute rather than resolve it.

“In the coming days, good faith efforts should now be made to resolve the depute.

“I would call on Minister Ross to instruct Irish Rail management to engage now in good faith.

“The NTA also has a role in this dispute, in protecting the interests of the travelling public and can no longer stand idly by.”