'Vast majority' of Bus Eireann services off amid strike by staff

A second day of strikes over pay cuts by Bus Eireann workers has put the vast majority of services off the road.

More than 70,000 passengers and commuters are facing deepening travel chaos as no talks have been planned between unions and management.

Bus Eireann said services for 114,000 school children will operate as normal with parents urged to check buseireann.ie and national and local media in case of late cancellations.

However, the company said the “vast majority” of its fleet is off the road.

Government ministers and opposition parties have called on management and unions to enter crunch talks after 95% of services were axed yesterday in the first day of action.

The strike by the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) centres on a row over €5m in payroll savings.

Workers from Siptu and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), which have also balloted members for industrial action, have refused to pass picket lines.

“Bus Eireann would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to customers due to this industrial action,” the company said.

It added that the only services running are the expressway inter-city.

Translink services between Dublin and Belfast will run every hour from 10am-10pm from Custom House Quay. Similarly, the route 33 to and from Derry will only have Translink services running at 10am, 13pm, 17.30pm and 22pm, again from the Custom House.

The GOBE service between Dublin Airport and Cork is expected to stay on the road.

NBRU bosses have warned that workers will strike until the company shelves the pay cuts plan or opens negotiations on new proposals.

Bus Eireann usually carries 70,000 people daily on 300 commuter, city, inter-city, and provincial services nationwide.

Dublin Bus has not been affected by the action.