Union members accept plan to end bus strike

Unions at Dublin Bus tonight accepted proposals to bring an end to a dispute with the company which has caused travel chaos to thousands of commuters.

Kevin Duffy, Labour Court chairman, issued recommendations yesterday which were considered and passed today in separate meetings by members of Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU).

Normal bus services in the northside of the city are to resume in the morning much to the relief of around 60,000 passengers who were left stranded for a week by the strike over rosters for new routes.

But the NBRU, which represents around half of the 500 workers involved, said while the rosters issue has been resolved and strike action axed, outstanding concerns with the two new routes mean they may not operate tomorrow.

Willie Noone, Siptu’s Dublin branch organiser, said: “Our members have accepted the latest recommendation from the Labour Court and will be returning to normal working tomorrow morning.

“We received clarifications from the Labour Court and the company that normal working includes operation of the two new routes.”

Drivers based at the Harristown depot near Dublin Airport have been on strike since Monday over rosters for two new cross-city routes – the 4A and 128.

The drivers argued that under an agreement reached to facilitate the opening of the garage in 2004, all starts, finishes and breaks were to take place there.

Dublin Bus denied that any such terms were agreed.

The Labour Court’s recommendations include a stipulation that the new routes - the 4A running from Ballymun to Stradbrooke and the 128 running from Clongriffin to Rathmines – should be staffed on a voluntary basis as far as possible, including use of volunteers from other garages.

The Court also proposed extra travel time be added to the working day for drivers on the new routes.

Trade union bosses from both Siptu and the NBRU have apologised to passengers for the strike action, but blamed the company for unilaterally introducing the routes without first discussing rosters with drivers.

Michael Faherty, NBRU general secretary, said that while they were accepting the Labour Court’s recommendations and calling an end to the strike, outstanding issues remained over the two new routes.

He said training and the location of where the buses would terminate in the city had to be addressed and that is expected to take up to 48 hours.

Trade union chiefs and company bosses were invited to a special sitting of the Court yesterday to discuss their grievances separately.

The main routes affected by the strike were Finglas, Swords, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Donabate, Portrane, Dunboyne, Little Pace, Tyrrellstown, Damastown, Portmarnock, Kinsealy and Kilmore.

Mr Faherty added: ``We appreciate the Labour Court's efforts to resolve the outstanding issues.

“Sixty per cent of members voted in favour of the proposals today and they will resume work tomorrow.”

Dublin Bus could not immediately be contacted for comment.