No solution in sight in bus dispute

More than 400,000 commuters face travel chaos today as the Dublin Bus workers’ dispute continues.

Services have been suspended for a third day after strike action began at midnight on Sunday. Some 920 buses on 120 routes in Dublin have been halted.

So far there is no sign of emergency talks being hosted by the Labour Relations Commission or other industrial relations troubleshooters.

Union bosses have warned that the dispute could escalate as members in Irish Rail are “dissatisfied” with how bus driver colleagues are being treated by the company.

Dermot O’Leary, of the National Bus & Railworkers’ Union, said railworkers are not prepared to stand idly by.

“The comments being passed to me are of a nature that there is dissatisfaction at the way their colleagues are being treated,” he said.

Dublin Bus has apologised to customers after all services were cancelled until further notice due to the industrial action.

*Service Update* Due to industrial action, services will not operate tomorrow 6th Aug until further notice. Apologies for the inconvenience.

— dublinbusnews (@dublinbusnews) August 5, 2013

Both Irish Rail and Luas said they will not accept Dublin Bus tickets, while the Dublin City Business Association has already warned that the strike is taking place at the height of the capital’s tourism season.

Thousands of passengers, including those at the Oxegen music festival in Punchestown and football fans at Croke Park, were left stranded when the action started on Sunday morning.

The dispute centres on €11.7m worth of cost-saving measures.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has been urged to intervene in the dispute.

Fianna Fáil’s transport spokesman Timmy Dooley said even Taoiseach Enda Kenny must be prepared to intervene. “This dispute is impacting very badly on Dublin. This is one the busiest times for tourism in the city and the bus service is out of action,” he said.

“I am calling on the Taoiseach to be prepared to intervene in this dispute today if Minister Varadkar continues to stand idly by.

“For all this Government’s talk about the protection of public services and the value of workers, Fine Gael and Labour’s utter inaction here is nothing short of appalling.”

The National Bus & Railworkers’ Union and Siptu served strike notice on Dublin Bus last week.

Dublin Bus maintains it is willing to engage in constructive talks but only on the basis that all parties sit together and the savings needed are implemented.

The cuts were drafted up following a series of recommendations from the Labour Court and include €7.7m from direct payroll costs. The remaining €4m was to come from efficiency and productivity savings.

Dublin Bus said the action would cost it €200,000 on a weekend and €600,000 on each weekday.