Seven-day bus strike to hit 250,000 commuters daily

A national bus strike on seven days next month could affect up to 250,000 commuters a day — and driver unions are warning more 24-hour stoppages will follow unless their concerns are addressed.

Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), the two unions in Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, have announced they will hold 48-hour stoppages on May 1-2 and 15-16. NBRU said it will also hold a further 72-hour strike on May 29, 30, and 31 and warned of a “significant programme of industrial action through the coming months”. As Siptu drivers would be unlikely to cross the picket line, that would mean no services on those days either.

The unions say the stoppages are over the refusal by both companies to address workers’ “major concerns” over what will happen to members if the National Transport Authority privatises 10% of bus routes.

Siptu divisional organiser Owen Reidy said that, following the collapse of talks at the Labour Relations Commission, his union had held off on announcing industrial action for 10 days to facilitate meetings with both bus companies and the department.

However, he said both companies had refused to agree to a meeting and only said the LRC process should be reconstituted. Mr Reidy said it was outrageous that the union had been met with such intransigence.

“Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe needs to get his house in order and resolve what is a dysfunctional position taken by these companies,” he said.

NBRU general secretary Dermot O’Leary said his union had previously intended to keep the disruption to the public at a minimum with a stoppage on May 1 but it had upped the ante as “initial positive statements from the minister have not been followed up with actions to get the parties responsible for this anti-bus worker, anti-travelling public policy to recognise and address the serious issues at play”.

Both firms warned of the disruption the action would have on passengers and urged unions to reconsider.

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