Luas drivers to get 18.7% rise as St Patrick’s Day strike called off

Luas drivers are to receive increases of about 18.7 per cent over a period of just under three years under a proposed deal aimed at resolving a protracted dispute at the Dublin light rail system.

Revenue protection staff are expected to receive about 14.7 per cent under the new proposals

As a result the Luas strike planned for St Patrick’s Day has been called off. The development comes after some 27 hours of discussions between the trade union Siptu and Luas operator Transdev at the Workplace Relations Commission which adjourned at lunchtime.

Siptu’s Owen Reidy saying trams will run on Thursday as he left the talks.

The drivers have also announced strikes on another two days this month and on four days in April. The strikes would close the Luas lines as on two separate two-day strikes in February.

The position on these strikes will depend on the result of the workers’ ballots.

Four grades of Luas workers were involved in the talks.

A deal for revenue protectors - those who issue fines for non-payment of fares- and revenue supervisors - those who administer the revenue collection process - was announced by negotiators at about 11am.

Mr Reidy said he believed negotiations on behalf of drivers had “gone as far as they could at the current talks”. Talks in relation to the fourth grade, drivers’ supervisors had not been successful, he added.

Transdev managing director Gerry Madden said excellent progress had been made in the lengthy talks and he was “delighted” trams would be running for St Patrick’s Day.

“The commission has issued proposals in relation to three of the four grades which will be balloted on over the course of the next week,” he said.

“We have not at this stage reached a final agreement in respect of the traffic supervisor grade but do hope it will be resolved over the course of the next few days following further conversation.”

Drivers have said they are seeking pay rises of 27 percent over five years. They have said they are willing to discuss productivity measures.

Transdev had said tram drivers would have to substantially moderate their pay claim if there is to be a deal.

The drivers argue they have already significantly reduced the scale of their claim, which originally was set at 53 per cent over five years.

Transdev had proposed increases of 2 per cent for Luas staff on acceptance of any new deal in addition to 2 per cent in January 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The management proposal also involved a separate long service increment of two per cent to be paid in July 2018 for those personnel who were at the top of their scale 12 months earlier.