Free public transport for day as unions finalise protest plans

RAIL and bus passengers won’t have to pay any fares on Friday because of a row between CIÉ and Transport Minister Séamus Brennan.

Yesterday CIÉ unions finalised plans for a day of free public transport in protest over Mr Brennan’s proposed changes to Dublin Bus.

The no-fares day will cost Irish Rail, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann over €1.5 million.

Unions are also planning a national day of protest in August and several one-day stoppages between September and December.

Mr Brennan wants to divide CIÉ into three companies and open 25% of the Dublin Bus market to competition. He has insisted he does not plan to sell Dublin Bus and there will be no compulsory redundancies. He said he wants to give consumers more choice and better value for money.

Unions are worried about private companies entering the Dublin Bus market and they are concerned about the future of CIÉ staff.

National Bus and Railworkers Union (NBRU) leader Liam Tobin said Dublin had one of the most cost-efficient bus services in Europe.

“Last year Dublin Bus made an operating profit of €3.4m. That is in spite of its political masters forcing the company to write off €1.8m in revenue by rounding down fares during the euro conversion.”

The NBRU is confident that Friday’s protest will not lead to the cancellation of bus and train services.

“I don’t think it’s going to lead to any stoppages and it’s unlikely senior management will try and collect fares,” Mr Tobin said. If the dispute is not resolved, the unions will protest again on Tuesday, August 19, when they will hold demonstrations in Dublin. There will be one-day stoppages on September 16, October 14, November 18 and a two-day strike on Monday and Tuesday, December 8 and 9.

SIPTU rail and bus branch secretary Tony Tobin said last night Friday’s protest was unavoidable.“We couldn’t be expected to do nothing given what the minister is trying to do,” he said.