Bus services to be crippled in drivers’ three-day protest

BUS services across the country will be crippled for at least three days as drivers protest against cutbacks at Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus.

The executive of the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) is to hold strikes on Saturday, February 28, Monday, March 9, and Tuesday, March 10.

The decision to strike is based on Dublin Bus’ plans to reduce its workforce by 290 and its fleet by 120 buses and Bus Éireann plans for 322 redundancies and a fleet reduction of 150.

While the NBRU has declared the strike on its own — the other bus union SIPTU has not decided on its action yet — it is likely all buses will be stopped as drivers from SIPTU will not pass the NBRU picket. That means there will almost certainly be no bus services anywhere in the country on those three days.

The NBRU said it had made it clear to management in both companies that it was prepared to enter negotiations on change but only if the threat to sack drivers was satisfactorily addressed.

“Targeting new drivers on probation as an easy option to introduce cuts is an unfair and lazy way to make savings, and also impacts on the travelling public,” said NBRU general secretary Michael Faherty.

“Many of the probationary drivers involved have no prospect of alternative employment and many have taken on extra commitments such as mortgages, thinking they had secured stable employment. Instead they are being threatened with the dole, ironically swelling the numbers dependent on public transport.”

Dublin Bus said it had not yet got official notification of any industrial action by the unions.

“The company projects losses of €31 million in 2009 unless this necessary corrective action is taken,” it said in a statement.

“Dublin Bus therefore has no choice but to implement the Cost Effectiveness Plan on March 1 2009. It is regrettable that the trade unions have chosen to take this action; however, the company remains available to have intensive discussions prior to that date.”

Labour’s transport spokesman Tommy Broughan said “the Government needed to step in and take a hands-on approach to the situation”.