Bus Éireann Call Off Strike Action

Intervention by the Labour Relations Commission has quashed the threat of strike action at Bus Éireann.

The National Bus and Rail Union had served strike notice on Bus Éireann from Monday over the company's €30m cost recovery plan.

Yesterday, Siptu also warned Bus Eireann it must "abide by agreements" if it is to avoid strike action by workers.

The commission has now invited management and unions to attend talks on Tuesday. Bus Éireann has agreed to suspend their cost cuts pending the outcome of the talks.

In lead-up to the calls for strikes, a Bus Éireann representative said passenger numbers had fallen by 10% and that it was currently losing more than €500,000 per week.

The cost cutting plan would have seen an estimated 320 jobs go with about 50 routes initially either being scrapped or having their level of frequency reduced.

Unions had threatened to take industrial action if Bus Éireann proceeded with its plan to commence implementation of cost cutting proposals into the new terms and conditions for drivers next Monday.

In an open letter to Bus Eireann on Monday, Siptu representative Mr McCarthy wrote: "In the event of the company proceeding to implement its cost cutting plan without adhering to the agreed Industrial Relations Procedure this Union will have no choice but to ballot its members for strike action."

(DW/BMcC)