450 job losses announced at Iarnród Éireann

[karlr42]

This came out of the blue. Only hope the unions don't cause too much trouble that leads to service disruption.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0601/450...n.html#article

The job losses, which the company says are part of a cost containment programme aimed at tackling a deficit of €45.3m, represent almost 11% of the company’s workforce.
Staff also face cuts in sick leave entitlements, subsistence allowances, and overtime under the programme negotiated at the Labour Relations Commission.

[Mark Gleeson]

There has been a very serious commercial review in recent months

Reality this is the continuation of the existing pattern of 100-150 head count reduction per annum

[drumcondra commuter]

Knowing a limited amount about IE's operations, it is hard for me to see where 450 staff could be made redundant. Not excluding the smoking geezers at Maynooth of course.

[ACustomer]

450 is not much more than 1% of the workforce. A somewhat flatter management structure might provide some savings, if it's anything like the place whare I work.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by ACustomer

450 is not much more than 1% of the workforce.

10%?

Over 4 years, that would be equal to natural wastage, but with no replacement.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its 10% of total numbers.

From the simplest view, the number of staff standing around doing nothing productive still shocks me.

[James Howard]

Don't you know that it takes five people (not counting security staff) to help out the guy at the ticket gate in Connolly.

It stands to reason that a lot of people are surplus to requirements given the number of signal boxes, ticket offices and level crossings that have been automated over the last few years. Not to mention the fact that so many trains are now driver-only where previously there would have been a ticket-checker and a guard.

This can only be the start of a longer-term process though. Annually, Irish Rail take in €190m and spend €370m with the bulk of the gap closed by public service obligations. I don't think it is unreasonable to assume that 4,500 staff cost Irish rail an average 50k per year each including pension and PRSI costs. That tots up to €225m just on staff costs.

[Jamie2k9]

Its 10% of total numbers.

From the simplest view, the number of staff standing around doing nothing productive still shocks me.

Couldn't agree more. Got the 13.00 from Waterford yesterday and there was at least 7 Staff in the station (not including train driver).
1 - Ticket office
2 - Boarding
3 - Showing pre booked passengers where to sit/Watching Car Park
4 - ?
5 - ?
6 - ?
7 - ?

The rest were doing nothing except one gave a quick clean to the floor.

After seeing that it dosn't suprise me why there are €45 million in the red. I take it some of the job cuts will come from level crossing staff?

[dowlingm]

To be honest I'd like to see that excess labour re-employed (where feasible) as on-train staff for any service designated "Intercity" currently lacking a guard. For one thing it would help distinguish the train from the bus by having a dedicated customer side staff member (especially when so many halts are unstaffed now) but the retasked staff would need to take a firm line on stuff like people not respecting seat reservations etc.

I'd love to see what intercity staffing ratios are like here in Canada by comparison, where there are usually two-crew locos and about one staff member per carriage but I think that's in part because of high floor trains being used at low floor platforms (dictated by the freight railways) and thus passenger assistance being needed at the one door per carriage normally opened at each station.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0629/iri...cost-cuts.html

Irish Rail workers vote in favour of cost cuts including voluntary redundancies
Updated: 20:35, Friday, 29 June 2012

Workers at Irish Rail have voted in favour of cost saving measures that include voluntary redundancies, a pay freeze and changes to leave.

The results of the ballot on the ''Cost Containment Programme 2012 - 2016" were two to one in favour of acceptance.

The ballot took place over the last few weeks at the NBRU, SIPTU, TEEU and Unite.

The results were counted this morning.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0716/iar...edundancy.html

Iarnrod Éireann denies redundancy fund difficulties
Updated: 23:38, Monday, 16 July 2012

Iarnrod Éireann has denied that it has deferred staff redundancies because of difficulties in funding redundancy packages of up to €130,000 each.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed that 17 staff who were due to take voluntary severance will be forced to delay their departures.

This is despite the fact that the company is seeking up to 450 redundancies as part of a cost reduction programme.

The company said the redundancies were being deferred to ensure a "phasing of funding for cash flow management", and to preserve continuity of service.

However, a spokesperson said Iarnrod Éireann rejected suggestions that the company might have had any problem with access to funding from its banks to fund the redundancy lump sums.

The €45 million cost cutting programme includes changes in work practices, cuts in allowances, overtime, sick leave and other entitlements, apart from the 450 redundancies over four years

At present 160 staff have agreed exit terms; 43 have already gone, 17 were due to leave over the coming days and weeks, with around 100 awaiting confirmation of an exit date.

SIPTU official Paul Cullen confirmed that some of the staff involved were told within a week of their scheduled exit date that they could not be released.

One staff member said they had been told that a post retirement holiday that was already booked would have to be taken on the employee's own time, as they had already used up their leave entitlement ahead of the exit date given to them by the company.

However, the company spokesperson said that because the redundancies had been delayed by Iarnrod Éireann, the staff involved would be given paid leave to take pre-booked holidays.

Meanwhile, the company also confirmed that a number of executives "in single digits" had left under a separate more generous redundancy scheme established last year which pre-dated the current scheme.

It is understood executives were entitled to a package totalling up to one and a half times their annual salary.

The present scheme is capped at €130,000 per employee.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0718/rail.html

Union wants clarity on deferral of Iarnród Éireann redundancies
Updated: 23:13, Wednesday, 18 July 2012

The National Bus and Railworkers' Union has called on Iarnród Éireann to clarify why it has forced staff to defer taking redundancy within days of their scheduled exit dates.

Last Monday, the company denied that it could not currently afford to pay redundancy lump sums of up to a maximum of €130,000 to the 17 staff in the current wave of departures.

A spokesperson said the deferral is to ensure a "phasing of funding for cash flow management."

The spokesperson also said it is "to preserve continuity of service."

Iarnród Éireann is currently implementing an agreed cost reduction programme.

450 redundancies are being sought over four years, as are significant changes in terms and conditions.

However, NBRU Assistant General Secretary Dermot O'Leary accused the company of reneging on the implementation of a vital component of the agreement over redundancies.

Mr O'Leary said the company has reneged on implementing cost-cutting measures, which were having an immediate impact on union members.

He said it did not make sense for a company seeking 450 redundancies to prevent those who applied for it from leaving.

Mr O'Leary said that the NBRU is also concerned that executives may have left the company on far more attractive exit terms than those offered to his members.

Iarnród Éireann confirmed to RTÉ News on Monday that a number of executives "in single digits" had left under a separate redundancy scheme established last year, which pre-dated the current scheme.