A national transport strike may begin next Tuesday if Bus Eireann presses ahead with plans to introduce 20 new minibuses on its suburban routes in Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway. Senior union sources said last night that the unilateral implementation of new minibus schedules would result in industrial action not just in Bus Eireann, but in CIE's other subsidiaries, Iarnrod Eireann and Dublin Bus, as well.
Talks on the £8 million cost saving viability plan for Bus Eireann broke down two weeks ago and the general secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union, Mr Peter Bunting, wrote to the company on July 8th, stating: "Any attempt to unilaterally implement any elements of the viability plan without agreement will result in a national strike."
Last night Mr Bunting said: "We do not want to engage in a national dispute, but we will meet bullyboy tactics in any way we feel necessary to protect our members." He called on the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, to honour the commitment she made in opposition that she would oppose unilateral implementation of the viability plan by management.
Last week, CIE announced losses of over £56 million, of which Iarnrod Eireann accounted for £37 million, Dublin Bus £11 million and Bus Eireann £9 million. Bus Eireann is the weakest company commercially and has always been the one in which a serious dispute was most likely to occur. Because of this, the unions have maintained a position that nothing is agreed in any company until everything is agreed across all three companies.
The management in Bus Eireann is now saying that failure to make adequate progress means it will introduce new minibus routes in Cork, Limerick and Galway and augment existing minibus services in Waterford.
The company wants employees working on the new routes to operate new electronic ticket machines and on-board radio communications equipment. They must also agree to electronic payment of wages. In return, it is willing to pay the three per cent pay increase due to all Bus Eireann employees under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress.
A Bus Eireann spokesman said last night that 26 drivers had been recruited, but maintained that the earnings of displaced employees would be protected.
Mr Bunting said it was unclear how the earnings of displaced staff would be protected. They were concerned that the viability plan was seeking savings of £100 a week from them when basic pay in Bus Eireann was only £181.