Dublin Bus staff to discuss Labour Court proposals

Dublin Bus workers connected to the trade union Siptu are to meet today to discuss Labour Court proposals on cost cutting at the company.

The union’s bus driver members are to meet at Liberty Hall and members in other grades will be briefed directly by their workplace representatives, Siptu said. Workers are to begin balloting on the proposals this week, with a result expected by Friday.

Dublin Bus is seeking to reduce costs by some €11.7 million and the company’s plans resulted in industrial action over the August bank holiday weekend which was called off after the matter was referred to the Labour Court.

Dublin Bus claimed the three-day strike had cost the company in the region of €600,000, making the savings needed more difficult to achieve.

Drivers expressed concern about pay reductions arising from reduced working hours during holiday periods which were set out in the cost cutting plan. Other bones of contention included changes to pay for overtime and rest days.

The union is seeking an assurance that reductions in pay would automatically revert to the current position after a 19-month period.

In addition, clerical workers, who had been required to increase their working week from 36 hours to 39, will now be asked to increase it to 38 hours.

Neither Siptu nor the National Bus and Rail Workers’ Union, which were engaged with the company at the Labour Court last week, will formally recommend acceptance of the proposals. However both unions have agreed to point out the positive elements of the proposed deal.