Labour Court recommends trainee drivers accept Iarnrod Eireann proposal in training-delay dispute

The Labour Court recommended that Iarnrod Eireann Trainee Locomotive Dart Drivers, represented by SIPTU, accept Iarnrod Eireann’s proposal to resolve a dispute over financial losses claimed by 32 trainee drivers whose training was delayed. In its recommendation dated 4 November 2020, the Court did not recommend concession of the union’s claim for additional backdated compensation. SIPTU said the proposal did not cover the drivers’ full losses or losses during the transition from trainee to probationer driver, and sought backdating for delays beyond 58 weeks. The company attributed delays to experienced drivers withdrawing mentoring and cited costs of about €30,000 per week and lost revenue of about €2,000,000. SIPTU members rejected the proposal in two ballots; NBRU accepted it.