Luas staff and management to meet in bid to avert strike

Staff working at the Luas light rail service in Dublin and the company operating the system are to attend talks at the Workplace Relations Commission in an attempt to avert planned strikes next month.

However Siptu, which represents the workers, said it would not be deferring the planned stoppages .

At a meeting with the union yesterday, Nigel Stevens, chief executive for UK and Ireland of the Luas operator Transdev, said he believed the existing pay, terms and conditions of employees were generous.

He said the dispute was “difficult to resolve because of the magnitude of the claims being made by Siptu”.

Luas management said last week that staff were seeking pay increases of between 8.5 per cent and 53 per cent.

It said this would cost the company €30 million per year.

Siptu has announced that Luas staff will stage two 48-hour work stoppages next month.

Workplace Relations Commission

Mr Stevens said Transdev believed the only way to find a resolution to the dispute was under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.

The commission has now invited Transdev and Siptu representatives to talks on Friday. Transdev said it was pleased to accept the invitation.

Siptu utilities division organiser Owen Reidy said the union would also be attending the talks but the strike action would not be deferred in the meantime.

The company has warned staff they will not receive annual bonuses of 6.5 per cent if they go on strike.

Up to 90,000 people face disruption to their travel plans each day if the strikes go ahead.