Bus chaos looms as drivers vote to strike

Significant disruption to bus services has moved a step closer after Siptu drivers at Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann voted by more than 90% in favour of strike over plans to open up 10% of bus routes to private sector tendering.

The ballot resulted from the breakdown of talks at the Labour Relations Commission involving unions, company managements, the National Transport Authority (NTA), and the Department of Transport.

Siptu divisional organiser Owen Reidy said: “This result demonstrates the significant frustration among drivers in both companies at the lack of progress in addressing workers’ concerns over the NTA plan to privatise 10% of bus services.

"We have been unable to persuade the NTA, to date, to abandon their flawed privatisation plan. Siptu has also tabled a number of issues in the LRC-facilitated talks, which were instigated by the minister for transport, tourism and sport, Pascal Donohoe, that have not been adequately dealt with.

DISCOVER MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS

“This, combined with both bus companies’ failure to guarantee the tenure, security and quality of our members’ employment, has led to an impasse in the talks process and our members’ strong mandate for action.”

The union is opposed to the outsourcing of the routes, but if they go ahead it wants concrete assurances that, if its members move across to a private employer, their terms and conditions are fully protected.

Siptu senior shop stewards from both companies will meet on Monday to discuss how to proceed with the mandate. It is expected that any action is likely to begin with one-day stoppages and could escalate from there.

A ballot result of driver members of the National Bus and Rail Union in both companies is expected next week.

Bus Éireann said it had not been officially notified of any ballot results and had no comment. Dublin Bus said it noted the ballot result, but also had not received notification of industrial action.

DISCOVER MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS