Dublin Bus tells union it has 582 surplus drivers due to Covid-19 service cuts

Dublin Bus has told trade unions that it now has nearly 600 surplus drivers after it moved to a Saturday schedule on foot of the current Covid-19 crisis.

The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said in a note to members that management at the State-owned transport company had expressed concern about its future viability.

The union said the company wanted drivers to take up to five days’ leave up to early May, and that the situation would be reviewed at that point.

In a bulletin to members on Wednesday, the NBRU said: "Company stated that, as a result of the Government/National Transport Authority (NTA) decision to implement Saturday services, Dublin Bus now has approximately 582 Surplus drivers. Management also informed us of the wider industrial environment, 400,000 job losses, pay cuts in a lot of sectors and expressed concerns about the future viability of the company, stating that all proposals/suggestions are designed to enable Dublin Bus to have the ability to return to normal when this crisis abates."

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The union said it had been told by management that “despite being an essential service and supplying public transport, Dublin Bus is not immune to the current crisis, and constraints over funding may materialise post-crisis”.

The union said the company had argued that the annual leave proposal was in line with that applying in Irish Rail and in the DAA.

Dublin Bus has been asked for comment about the NBRU document.