Irish Tram Strike

[F Great Eastern]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0113/759919-luas/

Luas passengers face the prospect of serious disruption after employees belonging to SIPTU voted to hold two 48-hour stoppages during February.

The move, which would affect 90,000 passengers a day, marks a serious escalation of their pay dispute in pursuit of increases of up to 53%.

SIPTU said the company had failed to reach an agreement on the workers' terms and conditions of employment.

Couldn't believe the figures I was seeing when I read this, they are looking for 50% pay rises in some cases and are willing to go on strike during a general election campaign in order to get it.

 

[scotsman]

It's called negotiation. Start ludicrously high, so that the employer is more likely to offer something desirable (likely a fraction of 53.8%) to the employees without too much haggling. Looks like Transdev are playing hardball and failing to entertain the idea whatsoever.

 

[Thewanderer]

Out of interest, I would be keen to know the average wage of tram drivers in the UK on the various systems.

The Wanderer.

 

[AndrewE]

I had dealings with some Irish public sector employees a few years ago. They were suffering significant pay cuts year after year and I wouldn't be surprised if this is the consequence of something similar...
A

 

[F Great Eastern]

From what I read, they want their pay to be on parity with heavy rail drivers.

 

[Thewanderer]

I had dealings with some Irish public sector employees a few years ago. They were suffering significant pay cuts year after year and I wouldn't be surprised if this is the consequence of something similar...
A

Except that LUAS is Private Sector and operated by Transdev, aka our old friend Connex. They recently took on a new operating contract and I understand costs are being cut to the bone.

The company is coming out very hardline on the pay increases which they say they cannot afford. Interesting times ahead.

 

[455driver]

It's called negotiation. Start ludicrously high, so that the employer is more likely to offer something desirable (likely a fraction of 53.8%) to the employees without too much haggling. Looks like Transdev are playing hardball and failing to entertain the idea whatsoever.

Its called taking the ****!
Show me any other tram network where the pay and conditions of the drivers are similar to what a mainline train driver gets?

 

[oldman]

90000 a day (3 million odd a year) is a fair bit less than the much-maligned Edinburgh tram manages. I suspect the strike would not have a huge impact on the city as a whole.

 

[Thewanderer]

90000 a day (3 million odd a year) is a fair bit less than the much-maligned Edinburgh tram manages. I suspect the strike would not have a huge impact on the city as a whole.

Obviously you haven't been to Dublin so?

It will have a huge impact on the transport corridors it serves. It should be noted (especially) on the Green Line that bus provision was reduced following introduction of LUAS in 2004. I know, I lived on the Green Line at the time and if the tram service went belly up it was a pain in the ass to get into work.

How many pax does Edinburgh see a day?

 

[scotsman]

Its called taking the ****!
Show me any other tram network where the pay and conditions of the drivers are similar to what a mainline train driver gets?

I'm not saying they should get all of it, but by aiming so high, they're hoping to still get a decent raise

 

[455driver]

I'm not saying they should get all of it, but by aiming so high, they're hoping to still get a decent raise

To get to a sensible figure you need to start from a realistic point, 53% is not a realistic starting point for any meaningful talks to take place.

 

[Thewanderer]

Which brings me back to my first post.

Does anybody have an idea of the average UK Tram Driver Wage? Seriously interested to know to benchmark it against LUAS.

 

[oldman]

How many pax does Edinburgh see a day?

5 million a year, on only one line. I see Dublin Bus claimed 119 million a year in 2014 (marginally more than Lothian), which makes 90k a day look quite modest.

 

[F Great Eastern]

The latest figures for the Irish tram system are here:
http://www.jcdecaux.ie/luas-passenger-numbers-reached-34-6-million-in-2015/

34.6million over two lines.

 

[berneyarms]

90000 a day (3 million odd a year) is a fair bit less than the much-maligned Edinburgh tram manages. I suspect the strike would not have a huge impact on the city as a whole.

5 million a year, on only one line. I see Dublin Bus claimed 119 million a year in 2014 (marginally more than Lothian), which makes 90k a day look quite modest.

I think you need to redo your maths, as you appear to have left out a zero somewhere in your calculations.

LUAS (on two lines) carried 34.6m passengers in 2015, not 3m - dwarfing Edinburgh's trams.

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/public-transport-passenger-numbers-2015/

This will cause massive disruption on those corridors, as the bus services have been cut back to reflect the adjusted demand, and there simply is not any spare capacity available to carry these discommoded passengers.

 

[edwin_m]

I think you need to redo your maths, as you appear to have left out a zero somewhere in your calculations.

LUAS (on two lines) carried 34.6m passengers in 2015, not 3m - dwarfing Edinburgh's trams.

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/public-transport-passenger-numbers-2015/

This will cause massive disruption on those corridors, as the bus services have been cut back to reflect the adjusted demand, and there simply is not any spare capacity available to carry these discommoded passengers.

Dublin area has very few decent roads, and none to speak of in the corridors served by LUAS. Even those that exist tend to feed into very narrow and congested streets in the city centre.

 

[185]

Out of interest, I would be keen to know the average wage of tram drivers in the UK on the various systems.

The Wanderer.

In fairness to them, the cost of living, as you will know, in Dublin has become extortionate; probably not enough to justify those wages, but still a fair increase on the status quo.

 

[spottersac]

Which brings me back to my first post.

Does anybody have an idea of the average UK Tram Driver Wage? Seriously interested to know to benchmark it against LUAS.

Im interested in this too

 

[507 001]

£27400 for Metrolink.

I believe Blackpool is the lowest paid, metrolink second lowest (although about £10000 a year more than Blackpool!)

 

[F Great Eastern]

This is still ongoing and further strike dates have been announced after the first 4 including St Patrick's Day.

Drivers are now being accused of deliberately taking excessive amounts of toilet breaks to delay services on non strike days to cause disruption.

They have very little public support.

 

[Hornet]

This is still ongoing and further strike dates have been announced after the first 4 including St Patrick's Day.

Drivers are now being accused of deliberately taking excessive amounts of toilet breaks to delay services on non strike days to cause disruption.

They have very little public support.

"Luas hit by delays due to big rise in toilet breaks"

http://www.independent.ie/irish-new...ue-to-big-rise-in-toilet-breaks-34476706.html

Literally taking the P now. As for SIPTU (Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union), if you can remember the NUM (National Union of Mineworkers) under Arthur Scargill and Mick MaGahey, that's the same sort of leadership that's in place in SIPTU. Will be interesting to see what happens after Friday's General Election, and the next Dail Eireann make up, seeing as the balance of power could well be in the hands of various, looney tunes Independent TD's (MP's). The horse trading should be most entertaining.

 

[F Great Eastern]

The whole dispute is still going on, although the workers have lowered their demands to just over 30% + more holidays + more sick days + increase in overtime rate + Free Healthcare + Increase in Pension + 50% Increase in bonus + maternity and paternity leave increases + increase in compassionate leave and death in service benefit.

Whilst the toilet breaks have now been cut down, they are still happening with various other service disruption tactics and trams being driven slowly with increased turn around times at terminuses.

Transdev are now going to bring strikebreakers in, in the form of buses on St Patrick's Day. There is some speculation if that will lead to any form of action to stop the buses operating from the Union.