ABOUT 70,000 passengers using Bus Éireann services face the possibility of industrial action at the company after management said it intended to implement unilaterally a controversial cost-saving plan from the end of this month.
Under the cost-recovery programme, about 320 jobs would go with about 50 routes initially either being scrapped or having their level of frequency reduced.
The frequency of a further 47 services could be hit if savings of €25 million being sought by the company do not materialise.
The company is also planning to introduce revised terms and conditions for staff, including the deferral of payment of the national wage agreement, changes to shift allowances, increased flexibility regarding working arrangements and reductions in overtime.
The company told trade unions yesterday that it would be unilaterally implementing the plan after a deadline it had set passed without agreement.
Bus Éireann said that passenger numbers had fallen by 10 per cent and that it was currently losing more than €500,000 per week.
It said that it now had “no choice but to take action to address these losses as quickly as possible”.
The company said that changes to terms and conditions for staff would come into effect from Monday, June 29th.
“Changes to service levels will begin on Sunday, 5th July, 2009, and be phased in over a period of time.
“Customers on routes where changes are to take place will be informed in advance of the changes coming into effect.
“The majority of these changes will involve either reductions in the frequency of a service or a change in its route. Some services that are not economically viable in the current economic environment will be withdrawn and in such instances we will try to ensure that an alternative service is available to the small number of customers affected in their general area,” the company said.
Among the services that face withdrawal or reduction in frequency under the first phase of the plan are Galway-Clifden, Dublin-Drogheda, Tuam-Galway, Portumna-Dublin, Tralee-Killarney -Cork, Limerick-Shannon, Tralee-Dingle and evening services after 19.00 in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.
Routes that could be hit as part of a second phase of cuts include Dublin-Tullow, Drogheda-Navan, Waterville-Tralee and Athlone-Sligo.
About 220 drivers could go as part of the overall cost-cutting programme.
Siptu sectoral organiser Andrew McCarthy said last night that the company appeared to be in complete breach of procedures in place for dealing with disputes.
He said that if management did not adhere to the agreed procedures the union may have no choice but to ballot members at Bus Éireann for strike action.