Labour Court rejects Iarnrod Eireann drivers’ pay rise and hours claims

The Labour Court rejected the National Bus and Rail Union and Services Industrial Professional Technical Union claims for a 5% pay rise and reduced working hours for Iarnrod Eireann locomotive drivers. The Court considered the claims cost-increasing and barred under Sustaining Progress, and said the new technology was covered by the 2000 New Deal Agreement. The employer said the combined claim would reduce available rostered hours by about 11%. The Court recommended immediate discussions on procedures for Safety Standards 23 and 30, to be completed within three months, and later discussion of an independent consultants’ report. The recommendation was dated 19 January 2006.