Siptu drivers at Dublin Bus have today voted to accept the Labour Court recommendation on their dispute with the company.
The drivers voted to accept the recommendation by 56 per cent to 44 per cent after receiving clarification from the Labour Court on a number of issues related to cost-saving measures at Dublin Bus.
Speaking afterward, Siptu branch organiser Willie Noone said the result “should be viewed as a progressive decision by drivers, who remain willing to fight to maintain their conditions of employment and job security".
"However they do not want to disrupt the travelling public and give ammunition to speculators who want to break up Dublin Bus and make profits on the backs of workers and to the detriment of the public transport system."
Mr Noone said although the Labour Court recommendation has been accepted, "Siptu is aware that the devil is in the detail". He called on Dublin Bus to work with Siptu "to ensure the implementation of the recommendation is done in a manner that minimises the erosion of working conditions”.
“We are warning that any further cuts to the Dublin Bus fleet will be met by sustained opposition from Siptu members."
He added Siptu's position was that "unless and until compulsory lay-offs are taken off the table by management," the threat of industrial action remained in relation to other groups at the company.
Unions said on Tuesday that they had received a new document from the court clarifying issues. Siptu has described the clarification as "positive".
Balloting began across the city's bus stations as soon as they opened this morning. Dublin Bus deferred the introduction of planned cuts to its services last Thursday following the resumption of talks at the Labour Courts with unions.
The cuts, which were due to be introduced on Monday, were postponed to facilitate clarification on the Labour Court's earlier ruling under which it had recommended that Dublin Bus go ahead with plans to take 120 buses out of service.
Under that judgement, proposed changes to paid meal break arrangements for drivers also received the green light. However, the court recommended that weekend overtime earning potential for drivers be increased and said there should be no dilution of current shift pay arrangements.
Drivers who are members of Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union narrowly rejected the Labour Court's plans last week.