Iarnród Éireann forces an unofficial strike and then tries to con their customers too.

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Wednesday May 17, 2006 02:42

by Seán Ryan

I got caught up in Monday's Rail Strike and Iarnród Éireann tried to trample on my rights

I was caught up in the Rail strike that started on Monday morning.

As I arrived in Heuston station in Dublin at around 1.30pm. I listened to the message from the intercom. I was informed that Iarnród Éireann apologised for ‘any’ inconvenience that might have arisen (like there was some chance that some commuters might not have been inconvenienced), and that no services could be guaranteed. The message always ended up blaming the whole mess on the workers who had decided to take strike action.

I looked at the main information display, which told me virtually the same as the recorded message and asked me to keep an eye on the other electronic information boards around. These other boards remained blank throughout my stay. Ticket-sales machines continued to function however.

I went to the information booth to enquire as to what the story was. I’d purchased a return ticket for €48.50 Saturday morning in Limerick so that I could attend the Network meeting at the Teacher’s Club and I was anxious to know how I was going to get home, I was close to being out of cash, the weekend had lasted longer than expected with the advent of the plight of the refugees in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday. Anyway, I was told that there would ‘probably’ be a bus arranged for 3pm that would get me to Limerick, but if I were to avail of this ‘remedy’ that I would have to surrender my ticket upon boarding the bus and that a receipt for this ticket would not be forthcoming. I went for a cup of coffee feeling between a rock and a hard place, I couldn’t afford to purchase a bus ticket elsewhere.

Whilst I was sipping my coffee I noticed two journalists wandering the station, photographing the place and talking to beached commuters, not being one to miss an obvious opportunity I went back to the information booth.

I’d argued the legality and morality of the ‘remedy,’ on my first visit. This time a man somewhere in his late forties to early fifties came from the background to talk to me and got one of the attendants to move out of his way. I again argued my case with this man, who told me in no uncertain terms that as policy I’d have to accept their terms if I were to return home. He did however at this point offer to return half my fare price which was fair enough, but I was pissed at having my rights trampled and refused this. I demanded a copy of their terms and conditions, which were not available. After much searching and ordering of underlings about, a copy of Iarnród Éireann’s ‘conditions of carriage’ was furnished to me.

I took a seat and quickly scanned the booklet. Section 12.3 of section A of these conditions states, “Passengers must retain their tickets until they have exited the station of their destination and they must dispose of their tickets in an appropriate manner in accordance with litter laws.” Now if I was forced to surrender my ticket upon embarking the bus offered as a remedy, I’d be breaking Iarnród Éireann’s terms and conditions. Armed with an angle I went over and introduced myself to the two reporters. They were delighted with my story and started to take photos of me. Whilst this was happening I watched the guy who had furnished the booklet to me hurriedly gather a small crowd around himself, and he started an animated conversation with them with the crowd frequently looking in my direction.

The Daily Mirror quoted extracts from what I had to say to them in yesterday morning’s paper on page 2 (Tuesday).

The bus that was to take me to Limerick was finally confirmed and announced at eight minutes to three. Not a singular passenger on the bus I took was even asked to produce a ticket never mind to hand it over.

Tuesday afternoon I walked into Colbert Station in Limerick and I asked for my half refund. The young lady that greeted me told me that this wasn’t a problem. Then she told me that I’d have to fill in a form that asked questions such as my name, my address and my telephone number amongst other questions that were none of Iarnród Éireann’s business. I informed this young lady of my opinion on this and refused to fill in the form. After much arguing with the an unseen boss through the intercession of the young lady it was eventually agreed that I’d sign a bit of paper with the amount I was to receive. I signed my name and added the phrase, ‘All rights reserved.’ and exited with my refund.

Next I took a trip to the citizen’s advice bureau where I found out that my actions in Heuston Station were perfectly justified – the chap I spoke to called Iarnród Éireann’s actions in Heuston Station ‘dubious.’

However he told me that I should have filled in the form presented to me at Colbert Station, and that I should have paid the 10% loss of my refund that the form demanded. I didn’t agree with the advisor chap on this, but I spose that’s no surprise. Either way it remains obvious the Iarnród Éireann messed up big-time each and every time they dealt with me. I’d print this form in question here but I’d probably infringe on copyright.

As a final note I was asked by one of the reporters from the Daily Mirror, “did I blame the worker’s who went on strike.” I replied to him that I most certainly didn’t, I reckoned that the unofficial strike had resulted from some unofficial action perpetrated on them by Iarnród Éireann.

Way to go Iarnród Éireann, your stupidity and greed know no bounds. I’m left wondering were any passengers on any of the other busses offered as ‘remedies’ forced to surrender their tickets in this ‘dubious’ fashion?

save preference

Comments (7 of 7)

The real cause of all your woes.

by Joe Soap

Wed May 17, 2006 04:23

You reckon that "the unofficial strike had resulted from some unofficial action perpetrated on them by Iarnród Éireann"?

They're refusing to use new trains. The Labour Court already voted against them on the matter. For someone who so industriously seeks out his rights, you seem conspicously lacking in ambition to seek the first cause of all your troubles.

Admittedly, Iarnród Eireann treated you pretty shoddily, but what do you expect from a state monopoly?

Your gripe should be directed at the strikers though. It's shameful that they can so flippantly screw-up the plans of 30,000 people. No warning or anything.

As someone whos uses public transport...

by DA

Wed May 17, 2006 12:18

... but I must admit I can never afford to get the train. I get the bus where to quote Lisa Simpson 'the poor and very poor come together'. Anyhow in referenc to our 'friend' Mr. Soap and his preceeding comments, I think the actions of the train drivers were commendable. As usual the media failed to report the matter accurately and people like yourself and Brendan O'Connor start to think that others care about your ill informed opinions. Well anyway the issue of refusing to operate the trains was not about pay it was about training. While the drivers do want more money and shorter hours (insanity they don't want to work a 45 hour week! How selfish!) the wildcat strike was called because they had not been adequetely trained (no pun intended) to drive the new trains. So Iarnrod Eireann spent e117m on new rolling stock but didn't bother to train the drivers to use it. The drivers rather reasonably refused to drive the trains and so potentially saved hundreds of lives but they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. If they had driven and there had been an accident it would have been attributed to driver error. What a situation to be in. It makes you wonder why all little boys want to be train drivers.

new trains = no trains

by JohnSoap

Its a bit like being given a new faster PC in work. Obviously your going to ask your employer for more money to use the thing....

Can undrstand why so many people drive with the public transport system being unreliable and frustrating to use.

Missing the point

Wed May 17, 2006 12:31

I presume Joe and John are brothers. Anyway either their parents neglected to educate them or they have been grossly miseducated by the state school system and the Sunday Independant. I am going to spell it out in big letters. Try to read it without moving your lips, THEY DID NOT GO ON STRIKE TO GET MORE MONEY, THAT IS A SEPERATE ISSUE. THEY WENT ON STRIKE BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE A TRAIN CARRYING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED TO DO IT. There I hope that helped clear things up. My advice is to buy a bike and a bus pass and don't believe anything the press tell you about strikers or activists.

privatise ?

Wed May 17, 2006 12:52

In the same way I have the good sense not to believe everything written in the “Scumday Independent” re : anything, I also have the sense to know that when ever there is a strike in public transport it always boils down to money (and/or a few extra hours in bed on a wet Monday morning)

It is not "commendable” to leave fellow workers without the means to get to work. Public transport is supposed to be there to serve the public, not for the public to serve the whims of its those in its employment.

JoeSoap (no relation is damn right).

Update

Fri May 19, 2006 00:56

Well it seems the strike has been resolved.....kinda.

Brian Cowen swings both ways. He blames the workers for the strike but RTE says that he says: "industrial relations work both ways and he hoped any new social partnership agreement would give a clear commitment not to see a repeat of the strike."

RTE story: http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0517/rail.html

JohnSoap suggested that privatisation would fix our problems.

Seems to me Mr. Soap that this does not address the issues that caused the strike. And surely privatisation would have worsened the situation I found myself in. Most privatised bodies would have brazened out my responses to them.

My rights are a legal grey area. They exist but cannot be enforced as was confirmed by the Citizen's Advice personell I spoke to.

Fix this, it would be much more constructive towards fixing the problems I've enumerated above.

Remember that Business law exists solely to ultimately negate the rights of the individual.

Consequences

by watcher

Fri May 19, 2006 14:24

Iarnród Éireann knew that the drivers would not drive the trains on the Monday.

A week previously their spokesman had denied the reason that the new trains were not being introdced due to industrial relations problems.

However, it must be said that the carriages were new, the engine-less drivers unit at the end of the train was new, but the actual locos have been in use for the past 12 years, 201 class locos.

Really the problem should have been resolved before the start date instead of IÉ denying it and allowing the day to arrive and disrupt rail services.

Though the line that these are new trains was false (the locos have been in use for 12 years), IÉ management allowed the situation to evolve.

BTW, if you want to see what prolongued industrial action can do to a railway go the the link below. The Kingscourt railway line closed because Gypsum Freight moved from Rail to Road because of the strike in 2000.

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

The Saker

Public Inquiry

Human Rights in Ireland

Lockdown Skeptics

Iarnród Éireann forces an unofficial strike and then tries to con their customers too.

Comments (7 of 7)