Dublin Bus row may spread across all State transport firms

Disruption at Dublin Bus is set to continue but the potential for industrial action at its sister companies, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, in the weeks ahead has become a more distinct possibility.

About 400,000 Dublin Bus passengers will again face inconvenience tomorrow and Saturday as staff stage the fifth and sixth days of strikes in a dispute over pay.

By Sunday, the company’s projections of profits for the year will have evaporated and it is forecasting that if all of the future work stoppages planned go ahead, the dispute will cost it €21 million. This raises the scenario of further cuts.

Given that staff have already rejected an 8.25 per cent pay increase over three years, if no resolution emerges in the very near future, the potential for this dispute to get even worse is very real.

Subvention for service

While Minister for Transport

Shane Ross

has signalled there would be an increase in the State’s subvention to Dublin Bus next year, he said it would be used to improve services – presumably as distinct from being used to increase pay.

He again insisted he would not be opening the State cheque book and the dispute had to be resolved between the management and unions.

At Bus Éireann, the financial position is even more difficult. It has specifically told staff there is no prospect of pay rises being awarded this year.

The pay claim – broadly similar to the 15 per cent over three years sought from Dublin Bus – has been referred to the Labour Court.

It has also flagged it wants to restructure its loss -making inter-regional Expressway service.

This would involve hiving it off into a separate entity, where workers would be employed on inferior terms and conditions.

Unions have refused to engage with the company on its plans for Expressway and it is virtually certain any moves to force changes will lead to strikes.

At the same time, any rejection of a Labour Court recommendation on pay could in itself lead to industrial action at Bus Éireann as it did in Dublin Bus.

Talks collapsed

At Iarnród Éireann talks between unions and management on reducing the working week for drivers, driver-training issues and pay for past productivity essentially broke down at the

Workplace Relations Commission

yesterday and will now be referred to the Labour Court.

A separate pay claim by staff at the State-owned rail company remains in the wings.

There were also ominous warnings yesterday of potential wildcat, unofficial industrial action by some rail workers in support of their colleagues on the buses.

General secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union Dermot O'Leary said he had been told by some rail staff they would not tolerate seeing the wages of their bus colleagues decimated.

Iarnród Éireann staff are currently not involved in any dispute with their employer.

However, O’Leary said he “was not in control of everyone who moved around the city in terms of trains and buses”.