Schoolchildren in Sligo and north Leitrim are facing severe transport disruption next Friday, September 16th, following a decision by private bus operators to escalate a protest over pay.
More than 20 bus operators who are in dispute with Bus Éireann have voted to stage a further one-day protest in pursuit of their claim for a 15 per cent pay increase.
Last week 40 schools were affected when the buses failed to turn up to take children to school.
A spokeswoman for Bus Éireann said the drivers in question were demanding three times the increase granted to other drivers around the country "and that just is not feasible".
She said the company had offered them an average increase of 4.5 per cent, depending on the size of the vehicle.
The company said it hopes to meet drivers on an individual basis over the next week and could not predict how many would take part in the planned stoppage.
The bus operators are citing the soaring price of fuel and have argued that they cannot be expected to sign up to a 4.5 per cent increase for the year given the unpredictable nature of fuel costs.
They have also sought to have the company meet their representatives, rather than individual drivers.
They say they have been forced to take further action because the company has not responded to their demands.
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