'Phased resumption' to Bus Éireann services in Limerick as drivers 'go back to work' 

The action was called off on Monday. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

The unofficial industrial action at Bus Éireann in Limerick has been called off following a meeting with those involved and National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) general secretary Dermot O’Leary.

Bus Éireann services in the country are now set to resume after the action had affected almost all routes in and out of the city.

It is understood to have been over planned changes to rosters, relief work schedules and issues around shifts that spare drivers can have a choice of working.

A source close to the action told the Irish Examiner: "It's been called off. We've gone back to work."

Speaking on Morning Ireland before the action ended, Mr O’Leary said he had warned Bus Éireann on September 19 that planned changes to terms and conditions could lead to “certain issues”.

He warned that if the bus company was to “unilaterally implement” the changes as of October 1, then he said he would have no option but to ballot his members.

Some of the workers in Limerick proceeded to take what Bus Éireann had described as “unofficial industrial action”.

Mr O'Leary had also urged his NBRU members to get back to work.

They have now done this, and it is understood a request has gone into the Workplace Relations Commission that they set up roundtable talks between the unions and Bus Éireann to resolve the issues.

Routes affected included all Limerick city routes, except three journeys from the City Centre to Caherdavin, one University of Limerick service and one journey from Raheen to the city centre.

Most of the other services were either cancelled “until further notice” or operating only on an intermittent basis, including routes to Galway, Tralee, Killarney, Waterford and Cork from Limerick city.

A spokesperson for the company said: "Bus Éireann welcomes the news that unofficial industrial action taken by a small number of employees at Limerick depot has now ended.

"We apologise to customers for the disruption experienced over the past two days and any inconvenience this has caused.

"We are pleased to announce that services will see a phased resumption this evening, 2 October 2023.

"We expect full services will resume from tomorrow morning, 3 October 2023 delivering services to the over 20,000 people who use our services every day in Limerick.

"We advise intending passengers to monitor the Service Update section of our website for updates."

Distruption

First year sports science student from Ennis, Senan Slattery, shared his experience with the disruptions, which resulted in him being late for college classes.

Sean said that unlike others, he was “fortunate” he could make alternate travel arrangements, adding that there were around 10 other individuals stranded in Ennis with no means of getting to work or college.

One elderly man had a hospital appointment he was unable to attend due to the last-minute bus cancellations, Mr Slattery added.