We cant take any more cuts say rail workers

 Irish Rail workers in Mullingar have justified going on strike late last month saying that they “can’t take” the pay cuts imposed by management.

Local rail commuters to Dublin had to alter their travel plans on August 24 and 25 after rail workers in Mullingar and the rest of the country went on strike to protest against the pay cuts implemented by management. The cuts, which range from 1.6% to 6.1%, were implemented despite opposition from SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), the two bodies representing rail workers. The unions are currently in discussion with Irish Rail at the Labour Relations Commission in a bid to avert staff going on strike next Sunday and Monday.

Speaking to Westmeath Examiner yesterday, Mullingar rail workers justified their actions, saying they had already made a number of cost saving concessions, such as giving up three self certified sick days and agreeing to a 25% reduction in expenses. These factors, combined with rises in the cost of living, a pay freeze since 2007 and the introduction of the universal social charge, mean that a lot of workers are struggling to make ends meet.

They also criticised Irish rail management for failing to negotiate with union leaders in the run-up to the strike.

“We accepted all the other little bits, but when they start cutting at a man’s basic, where does it stop? It’s the fear that they will say to themselves: ‘That was easy, we’ll come back and take another bit next year. That’s the big fear. If it was set out rock solid in stone that this was it, people might soften – but the fact is you can’t trust them,” Keith Kinahan said.

“There has to be a comprise and it has to be set in stone. There is absolutely no trust between workers and management. This is a thing of having to, none of us wanting to be standing here. We would love to be in there with the trains running and everyone happy. We are not taking any more cuts,” he said.

“For the work we are doing we aren’t overpaid. I know the company has its own little perks but at the end of the day, after the taxes and universal social charge I’m lucky if I take home €500, which for a 43-hour contract isn’t a hectic wage.”

Mr Kinahan’s colleague Gerry Fagan said that after six years of austerity budgets, rail workers can’t take any more reductions to their incomes.

“You had the Universal Social Charge, then water charges, everything is coming. You can’t survive any more, you can’t save any more... The price of living is too high now. We are after spending €500 or €600 to get two children ready to go back to national school. We can’t take any more, it’s just sickening. That’s all it is,” he said.

Both SIPTU and the NBRU have plans for further strike days next month, unless an agreement can be reached with management in the coming days.

“We are not looking for anything, we just want to keep what we have. Leave us alone and let us earn our wage. The public have been absolutely brilliant. We’re not here to dampen the public spirit, we are just here to stand up and maybe a few other companies might stand up and be counted again because it’s not just in the railway it’s happening in every sector,” Mr Kinahan said.