Bus Éireann staff to ballot for strike action over Expressway plans

The State’s bus network is facing further disruption with unions representing Bus Éireann workers warning there could be industrial action over plans to separate its loss-making Expressway service from the rest of the company.

The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said it would ballot members on the subject and Siptu, which also represents Bus Éireann staff, plans to consult its members about a similar ballot.

The warning comes as up to 400,000 Dublin Bus passengers again face halted services as workers stage the fifth and sixth strikes at the company as part of a campaign for higher pay.

Services will terminate at 9pm tonight in advance of the planned 48-hour work stoppage tomorrow and Saturday.

Dublin Bus has warned staff the current wave of strikes was having "a catastrophic impact" on finances and that if all planned work stoppages went ahead it could cost the company €21 million. Chief executive Ray Coyne said this could plunge Dublin Bus back into the financial difficulties it faced after the economic crash in 2010 which could lead to cutbacks.

Iarnród Éireann

Separately, talks between unions and management at Iarnród Éireann over reducing the working week for drivers, pay for past productivity and driver training issues ended without agreement yesterday and the issues will now be referred to the

Labour Court

.

Bus Éireann yesterday told staff it was not in a financial position to offer pay rises and wanted to restructure its Expressway service.

This would involve the service being separated from the rest of the company and reduced terms and conditions offered to staff.

Chief executive Martin Nolan told staff that Bus Éireann's finances were in a critical position. He said it lost €5.6 million last year and projected a €6 million loss this year. He said it needed a €7 million turnaround.

Facing challenges

Mr Nolan said the Expressway service was facing challenges from growing competition and increasing costs.

“It is proposed to sub-contract a number of routes within the plan, but it is expected that all routes currently operated will continue to operate,” he said. “A new management and support structure will be implemented for the Expressway business. Other efficiency measures may be required across the entire business.”

Unions said the proposals around the Expressway service were totally unacceptable. Willie Noone of Siptu said the union would not accept "any sort of blackmail" to go into talks about a pay claim on the basis that they must sit down and discuss the company's plan for Expressway.

NBRU general secretary Dermot O’Leary said it would ballot members for industrial action.

He described the Expressway proposal as a bombshell threatening the livelihoods of 800 employees.

A spokeswoman for Minister for Transport Shane Ross said he would not be making any comment on the Bus Éireann Expressway plan.

On Dublin Bus, Mr Ross yesterday said he would not “ride in on a white horse in shining armour” with a cheque book to solve the industrial dispute.