Dublin Bus services are expected to return to normal today after drivers voted to accept a new Labour Court recommendation aimed at ending a dispute over rosters for staff assigned to planned new routes.
The drivers at the Harristown garage in north Dublin, who are members of Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), voted by margins of around 60-40 in favour of a back-to-work formula drawn up by the Labour Court on Saturday.
Around 60,000 passengers, mainly in the north and west of Dublin, had been without services since last Monday.
However, while existing services are expected to resume today, there was uncertainty last night as to whether the two new routes at the heart of the row, the 4A from Ballymun to Blackrock and 128 from Clongriffin to Rathmines would be introduced immediately.
Michael Faherty, general secretary of the NBRU said last night that he was in discussions with Dublin Bus over route training for drivers assigned to the new services. He said that there also had been no discussions on whether schedules for the new services conformed with existing agreements. He added that these matters should take no more than 24-48 hours to address.
Siptu members, however, seem set to operate the two new routes from today. In a statement Dublin Bus Siptu branch organiser Willie Noone 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".
The drivers had expressed concern that some drivers on the new routes would have to start and finish their shifts and take their breaks in the city centre rather than at the Harristown depot.
They argued that the travelling time of 45 minutes set out by the company for making their way into the city centre was insufficient and that their working week could be lengthened as a result.
However in its supplemental recommendation issued on Saturday night, the Labour Court recommended that the travelling time be increased to 50 minutes in the case of the route 4A, and 55 minutes in the case of the route 128. The court said that it would regard the lengthening of the working week for any driver on the new services as being "wholly unacceptable".
It also proposed a review mechanism to examine the issues again if problems materialised.
"The position can only be definitively established after the service is operational for a reasonable time. Accordingly, if difficulties arise in relation to the adequacy of the allocated travelling time the matter may be referred back to the court after a period of three months. The court will then investigate and recommend further on the matter", it stated.
The court also said that proposals by the union that the company should seek volunteers from among drivers at the Harristown facility and other garages to operate the new routes, rather than compulsorily assigning some staff, had merit and should be explored further.
It also said that there could be no unilateral change to the current arrangements for starting, finishing and taking breaks for staff at Harristown who were recruited before January this year and who are not to be assigned to the new routes.
Dublin Bus also accepted the court's recommendation.
