‘Bizarre’ that Bus Éireann did not present proposals at Labour Court – NBRU

It is "bizarre, unprecedented and a debacle" that Bus Éireann management did not present proposals at the Labour Court yesterday, the general secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) has said.

“The company’s problems will not be resolved by unions and the company in isolation. The Government owns Bus Éireann and has a role at the talks table,” Dermot O’Leary said.

Management and unions attended the Labour Court yesterday to address a union pay claim of up to 21 per cent.

However, management negotiators were unable to engage on the pay claim in isolation from other cost reduction measures and are expected to revert to unions with proposals by the end of January.

Mr O’Leary said unions would be meeting over the next few days to formulate a response.

"Bus Éireann's problems did not just start over the last few years. Throughout the Celtic Tiger era, Bus Éireann funded the public bus services in towns across Ireland from its own commercial resources.

"The Government needs to construct a process where the unions, the company, the National Transport Authority and the Department of Transport can sit down with other stakeholders and discuss the future of public transport in Ireland," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

Mr O’Leary said the 21 per cent pay claim is open to negotiation and that the NBRU is always willing to compromise, whether it is resolving the transport crisis or discussing pay.

His comments come as Minister for Transport Shane Ross has warned that Bus Éireann is facing insolvency within two years unless difficult decisions are made.

Bus Éireann reported losses of up to €5.6 million last year and has projected a €6 million loss this year.

The semi-state company faults the Expressway services for the significant losses and is seeking to separate it from the rest of the firm.

It is also proposing a reduction in staff and the introduction of pay cuts for remaining employees.

Rural transport

Meanwhile the CEO of Irish Rural Link is calling for an extensive review of how rural transport is organised in Ireland.

Séamus Boland says that Irish Rural Link has asked Mr Ross to make public details of how Public Service Orders (PSOs) are managed.

"We want to know which routes are subsidised, the terms and conditions for these subsidies and a review of how they are organised," he told RTÉ's Today with Seán O'Rourke show.

He said Irish Rural Link was very concerned that Bus Éireann will cut routes.

“We understand there are difficulties, but we don’t know why PSOs are not in the discussions.

"There could be feeder routes which could lessen the number of stops and increase profitability. The sub-contracting system could bring people into Kinnegad instead of Bus Éireann having to stop in every town."

Mr Boland says the current public service transport system is “so so outdated, it dates from the middle of the last century.” He says a proper review will help identify how the system could be developed “ properly and efficiently.”