Siptu urges Dublin Bus to discuss ‘adequate’ wage rises

Trade union Siptu has urged Dublin Bus management to engage in serious negotiations on "adequate" wage rises for staff if further strikes at the company are to be avoided.

Dublin Bus services in the capital will resume on Saturday after the first in a series of 48-hour work stoppages planned by staff in a dispute over pay.

Further strikes are scheduled to take place next Thursday and Friday as well as on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th September.

About 400,000 people face having their travel plans disrupted again on Thursday and Friday of next week if the second wave of strike actions goes ahead.

The group of unions at the company are to meet next Thursday to consider future strategy with the option of escalating the dispute up to a potential all-out strike on the table.

‘Adequate wage increases’

Siptu on Friday urged Dublin Bus management “ to engage in serious negotiations concerning adequate wage increases for its workers if it does not wish to be responsible for further shutdowns of the service in the coming weeks”.

Siptu organiser John Murphy said: "After two days of strike action, our members are pleased to return to work and to provide a top class public transport service to the people of Dublin on Saturday, 10th September.

“Over the 48-hour duration of strike action it was clear from the public reaction that public transport users recognise that after eight years without a wage rise, while the service has been improving and has returned to profitability, workers deserve a fair increase in pay.

“It is now up to Dublin Bus management and the Department of Transport to recognise the public support there is for a professional and efficient public bus service in Dublin operated by a properly paid workforce.

‘Fraction of State support’

“While Dublin Bus matches similar services in other European cities in terms of reliability and quality, it has had to survive on a fraction of the State support compared to other public transport companies.

“It is well past time that management, the department and workers’ representatives sit down and map out and agree a medium- to long-term funding plan for public bus services in Dublin.”

Siptu sector organiser Willie Noone said the ball was now in the court of management and the department "in relation to finding a satisfactory conclusion for all stakeholders to this dispute".

If management and the department “maintain the intransigent attitude they have to meeting Dublin Bus workers’ reasonable pay claim, our members are willing to continue, and if necessary intensify, their industrial action”, he continued.

“In order not to have a repeat of the deeply regrettable inconvenience to public transport users which we have witnessed over the last two days, we need a new, sensible and constructive approach to be shown by the company and Department of Transport.”

Minister for Transport Shane Ross did not comment on the Dublin Bus strike on Friday.