Dublin tram drivers get new deal on working time schedules

A new deal on rostering for drivers on Dublin’s five-year old tram service, LUAS, has been agreed following a survey of the employees concerned. A steering committee involving employer and trade union representatives was set up to evaluate the outcomes of the survey and the five priority issues identified by the drivers. On this basis, negotiations took place between management and the trade union on how best to introduce changes to improve working conditions for drivers.

Work rosters to be reviewed

Drivers on Dublin’s tram system, LUAS, have concluded an agreement that provides for regular reviews of their work rosters in the future. The drivers are employed by Veolia Transport (formerly Connex) and are members of a craft branch of the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Trade Union (SIPTU).

On the recommendation of the state dispute resolution body, the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), a private consultant, Martin King of Ampersand Consulting, was appointed to chair a joint management–trade union steering committee, consisting of two company representatives and three delegates from the trade union side.

A democratic exercise was the first step in a process used to establish what the LUAS drivers’ own priorities are in relation to rostering. In order to gather this information, a survey among all of the drivers was commissioned by the steering committee and undertaken in late 2007. The survey consisted of 20-minute face-to-face interviews with the drivers, carried out by the external consultancy company I3. All 124 drivers received personal letters inviting them to participate in this exercise, over 100 of whom took part.

Five priority issues highlighted by drivers

As a result of the survey, the LUAS drivers identified five priority issues of concern:

• work shifts were too long;

• drivers wished to have more weekends off;

• late night work was cutting into rest days;

• shift patterns were erratic;

• the length of breaks were so long that they lengthened the working day.

Negotiations between management and trade union

Once these issues requiring attention were identified, negotiations took place between management and the trade union represented on the steering committee. These resulted in a number of changes, which were recommended for acceptance by the trade union.

• The duration of work shifts would be reduced to a maximum of nine hours on weekdays (Monday to Friday), with an average of eight hours 27 minutes for drivers on all tram lines. The duration of shifts on Sundays would be reduced to a maximum of nine hours on the section of the light rail known as the ‘Green Line’ (with an average working time of eight hours six minutes) and nine hours five minutes on the ‘Red Line’ (with an average of eight hours 38 minutes).

• Where possible, longer drive times are to be allocated to the first section of the shift, with the shorter drive times being allocated to the second section of the shift.

• Drivers can voluntarily opt for a preferred tram depot of the only two depots on the LUAS system, from which they would operate 90% of the time. Up to now, drivers could be sent to either depot by the company; while some drivers prefer to move between depots, others prefer the option of being mostly in one depot for commuting convenience.

• The new roster system means that, effectively, each driver gets every second weekend – including Saturday and Sunday – off work.

• No breaks will be longer than 60 minutes and the use of two breaks on one shift is kept to a minimum.

• Any change in the LUAS timetable is to be notified 28 days in advance. Prior to this 28-day period, the various parties should enter talks to agree on any changes which may impact on drivers’ work schedules.

• A new roster review will take place in September 2008, which will be carried out by the same management–trade union steering committee.

• All drivers are to be treated fairly in relation to the work rotation, duties and roster.

Five-year agreement for drivers due for renewal

Prior to the opening of the LUAS tram lines in 2004, SIPTU negotiated a five-year single-union, closed-shop agreement with Veolia Transport (then Connex) in 2003 (IE0311202N). This pre-entry agreement includes a rigid ‘peace’ clause in order to meet the strict condition set out in the company’s contract with the Department of Transport (An Roinn Iompair) that the LUAS service must be provided without any form of disruption. Failure to meet this requirement could result in severe financial penalties for the company, even extending to a possible loss of the contract.

Due to these strict performance conditions, the agreement also rules out any form of industrial action at any time, stating: ‘it is agreed that there will be no industrial action of any form during the lifetime of this agreement.’ This definition includes within its scope any disruption to work such as work-to-rule or ‘go slow’ protests. The agreement states that ‘any form of industrial action will lead to immediate removal from the payroll and could render any employee involved in such action liable to summary dismissal.’ The five-year agreement is due for renewal later this year.

Brian Sheehan, IRN Publishing