Translink CEO criticised for no show

Published Wednesday, 01 August 2012

The Chief Executive of Translink has come under fire for not attending a Stormont committee meeting which was arranged to discuss the proposed above inflation 24% salary increase for train drivers.

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Catherine Mason did not turn up at Wednesday morning's meeting, due to a long-standing family engagement.

An unimpressed Jimmy Spratt, chair of the Regional Development committee, revealed that he had delayed cancer treatment to attend.

Mr Spratt said there was "universal disapproval" at the non-attendance of Translink's Chief Executive.

He said he didn't think that it was "a hardship" for someone on a salary of £200,000 to attend a meeting to explain exactly what has been going on.

According to Translink, salaries are going up but so is productivity and that will save money in the long term.

Phillip O'Neill, of Translink, said the traindrivers agreement was "in the corporate plan."

"If we don't deliver that, we'll have to go back to that corporate plan."

However, the DRD committee are demanding to see Translink's business case.

Comments

5 Comments

padraig Burns in Newry wrote (286 days ago):

What do you expect? This is civil service cloud cukkoo land - fat cat public sector salaries - if she was working for UK operator she would be on £45000

AndyinLurgan in Lurgan wrote (290 days ago):

Yesterday the cross border train service which I was on was halted at Newry because of yet another security alert further along the line.No doubt this lady was enjoying her unofficial time off from work whilst the people like me who pay her wages were left standing in the rain outside Newry Train Station for 45 minutes waiting on one of her buses coming to collect us and bring us on to Belfast. Her staff gave us no help whatsoever apart from ordering us off the train as if we had just been conscripted into the Army and updates as to when the buses would appear were non-existant. It is time that the monopoly on Bus/Rail travel within Northern Ireland which Translink owns came to an end,and other transport companies such as Virgin arrived here to offer some very much needed competition to this excuse for a public transport company.

Clare Wilkinson in Bangor wrote (290 days ago):

Is this for real? 24%? If i was CEO i wouldnt show my face either. Another joke from the DRD after NI Water scandal. Shame on them at a time when so many people are suffering financially.

passenger in L,derry wrote (290 days ago):

i agree!!! line replacements, poor bus substitution service, lack of info/support for public facing staff, going into the red for the finanical year, and they introduce this for train drivers when they aren't needed as much because of the l,derry-coleraine line closure!!!

John Maguire in Belfast wrote (290 days ago):

Disgraceful 24% pay rise in these times. Whilst fares increase and services decrease. Absolute shambles of a company.