Tens of thousands of bus passengers face widespread disruption from midnight as staff at Bus Éireann commence an all-out strike.
All services operated by Bus Éireann, with the exception of school transport, will be affected by the stoppage beginning Friday morning. However, unions warned that school bus services could be brought into the dispute in the future.
There are also concerns the strike could spread to Iarnrod Éireann and Dublin Bus, which also form part of the broader State-owned CIE transport group.
Five trade unions ,representing the 2,600 staff at Bus Éireann, announced the strike after a three-hour meeting on Thursday.
The decision followed the announcement by management at the company that it would be unilaterally implementing nearly 50 work-practice changes and efficiency measures.
The company said the cost -saving measures were essential to deal with a financial crisis at Bus Éireann.
However, the trade union Siptu said the real agenda of management was “to prepare the company for the future privatisation of public bus services”.
Siptu sector organiser Willie Noone said: “This so-called drive for efficiencies is clearly due to pressure being applied on the company, as was stated in correspondence to workers on Wednesday, for it to retain directly-awarded public service obligation routes in 2019.”
He said to retain these services Bus Éireann must become more competitive. “What this means is that the company must be able to undercut private bus companies, many of whose employees depend on State welfare payments to survive.”
The general secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union Dermot O’Leary said management were determined to “drive a State-owned company into becoming a yellow-pack employer”.
He said under the company’s planned moves, some staff could see their earnings fall by up to €10,000. He said this was not tenable or sustainable.
Mr O’Leary said pickets would be placed from midnight on seven Bus Éireann facilities which were shared with employees of Iarnrod Éireann.
He said there was no official dispute with Iarnrod Éireann or Dublin Bus. However, he said it was up to the workers in those companies to decide themselves what they chose to do.
Mr O’Leary said it may be very hard for unions to control the dispute.
Mr Noone also warned of potential “contagion”.
Mr O’Leary said the message which would be drawn by Iarnrod Éireann and Dublin Bus employees to letter sent to Bus Éireann staff was “they could be next”.
