CIE: Time for action not talks

At a meeting of 500 Dublin Bus workers on 22 January an angry mood was reflected in the unanimous support given to the idea of strike action to defeat Brennan's plans.

By John McCamley, Dublin Bus driver

But not suprisingly the leaderships of the NBRU and SIPTU agreed to accept assurances from Seamus Brennan on job security and re-entered talks.

SIPTU has set 18 March as a date for industrial action. However Michael Halpenny, SIPTU national industrial secretary has said the type of action has not yet been decided.

The Government are on a full scale drive to privatise this country's public transport service. Workers in CIE, Aer Rianta and Aer Lingus are all immediately threatened. Our union leaders need to be forced into taking real action to defend our jobs, wages, working conditions and the quality of service we provide to the general public.

"No fares day" last year showed the level of support that's out there for our cause. But instead of building on this support and going on an offensive against the government the union leaders have entered a process of meaningless talks which have got us no where.

A mood exists in Dublin Bus for industrial action to force the government to back off. The idea of co-ordinated industrial action by workers in CIE and Aer Rianta should be pursued and a date named.

Dublin Bus workers must demand that mass meetings of all workers are called to discuss tactics for winning this dispute. These meetings should not just be consultative but must take decisions which instruct our union officials to organise a campaign of effective industrial action. SIPTU and the NBRU have entered the talks without even threatening the Government with strike action if they don't drop their plans. We can no longer allow our officials to prevaricate.

The "talks" should not be used as an excuse to delay strike action. If the ordinary members don't take control of this dispute then the leaders of SIPTU and the NBRU will do a rotten deal with the Government which will result in the break up of CIE and the introduction of privatisation - its time for action.