Normal Dublin Bus service set to resume after lightning action

Dublin Bus is expected to resume normal service today after up to 15,000 people were inconvenienced following unofficial lightning industrial action by drivers at the Ringsend depot yesterday.

Passengers in the south and west of the city had to make alternative travel arrangements when drivers engaged in wildcat action.

Tallaght, Blessington, Terenure and Templeogue were among the areas without a full bus service as drivers who normally service the 12 routes affected by the dispute refused to work a roster introduced yesterday morning.

The drivers were unhappy that some of the shifts they were scheduled to work were longer than nine hours.

After emergency discussions between National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) and SIPTU representatives and management, the drivers began returning to work between 3 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. yesterday. A spokesman for Dublin Bus, Mr Joe Collins, said yesterday's disruption could not have been prevented because the action was unexpected.

"Some drivers yesterday mentioned there might be a stoppage but in view of there being no notice from the unions we did not think there would be a strike."

The dispute stems from the pay deal agreed with bus drivers in April, when shifts of varying lengths were introduced to improve productivity.

The routes central to yesterday's dispute were the 77, which runs from Eden Quay to Jobstown, and the 65, which runs between Eden Quay and Blessington/Ballymore.

Negotiations between union representatives and management will resume tomorrow with a view to getting an agreement by the end of the week. The manager of the Ringsend depot, Mr Donal Keating, welcomed the resolution to the dispute but said the rosters would not be changed.

He said workers on long shifts would be compensated this week while negotiations continued.

The compensation package is said by management sources to involve paying one hour's overtime per day to the four drivers who work the longer shifts this week.

NBRU spokesman Mr Peter Bunting said those involved in yesterday's action had sent a clear message to Dublin Bus.

"While I deplore unofficial industrial action, it has to be recorded that there was a degree of validity in the workers' actions. The rosters produced today were in breach of our current agreement," he said.

"Pending negotiations, we will hopefully get an agreed roster implemented by next week."

SIPTU spokesman Mr Martin Meere welcomed the interim offer that enabled the drivers to return to work and said he hoped agreement would be reached before the end of the week.

The drivers taking part in the picket at the Ringsend depot yesterday morning cited concern for passenger safety and insufficient breaks as the reasons for their unofficial action.

Mr Michael Quinn, a driver on the 65 route, said his fellow workers were not happy with an arrangement that could have drivers working for long periods without a break.

"I understand I must give more productivity since we got the raise but I don't accept a schedule which puts me in danger. My concentration has to be razor sharp," he said.

Mr Frank Kenny, spokesman for the drivers involved in yesterday's action, apologised to the public for the lack of service. " We are deeply sorry but it's in the passengers' interests that these schedules don't run. We are not looking for money. We are looking for safety," he said.

Bus driver Mr Joe Deegan taking part in the lightning industrial action at Ringsend depot yesterday morning. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons