Michael O’Leary describes striking Luas workers as “headbangers” and “lunatics”

Michael O’Leary offering a reserved opinion as per usual.

Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary has used the terms “lunatics” and “headbangers” in relation to the Luas workers currently embroiled in a dispute with the Luas operator, Transdev, over pay. The long-running dispute shows no sign of abating and with a further eight days of strikes planned over the next seven weeks, industry experts have warned that a complete shutdown of the Luas on an indefinite basis could be on the cards. Last night, Luas staff were placed on protective notice by Transdev and it would be fair to say that O’Leary’s sympathies lie with Transdev as opposed to the Luas workers. “The great thing about the Luas dispute is that Dublin Bus still provides a service along the Luas lines. The unions are not dealing with a government but with an independent company. I have great sympathy for Transdev,” O’Leary told The Sun. ‘I think that they should sack a few of them. I think the union have behaved badly, although in fairness I think they did recommend the deal, which I think was an 18 per cent pay increase. And a bunch of lunatics turned it down.” “In the transport sector you tend to get headbangers who want to hold the whole country to ransom,” O’Leary added.