Bad news for Luas drivers following THIS Transdev announcement

It certainly looks like the dispute between Transdev and Luas drivers is set to get worse before it gets better if the former's recent announcement is anything to go by.

According to The Irish Times, the Luas operator has suspended all its tram drivers from its sick pay scheme following the announcement of further strike action.

In a letter penned by Transdev's managing director, Gerry Madden, he explained that the company was choosing to invoke its right to suspend individuals from the scheme if absence levels rose above 4%.

"The company is suspending all individual drivers from the regular sick pay benefit scheme and will not be processing any regular sick pay payments in the May payroll and thereafter pending a return to normal absence levels," he wrote.

While currently levels stand at 12%, Mr. Madden did insist that the ruling would not apply to any driver currently suffering from a critical illness.

Admittedly regretful that the company felt compelled to take the action, Mr. Madden insisted: "Once absence rates for drivers return to normal levels the company will discuss the re-introduction of sick pay scheme arrangements for all individual drivers."

The next 24-hour stoppage is set to take place on Friday May 20th.