All out strike at Bus Eireann set to begin at midnight

Workers at Bus Eireann are set to go on all out strike from midnight, unions have confirmed.

Representatives from five unions, including the National Bus and Rail Union and SIPTU, met this afternoon to discuss and consider their reaction to the decision by management to implement cost-saving measures.

Due to ongoing financial difficulties at the state owned company, management have said changes to employees’ contracts are needed if the bus operator is to remain viable.

Yesterday acting Bus Eireann CEO Ray Hernan sent a letter to staff notifying them that the implementation of reforms would begin immediately.

This afternoon a statement from the NBRU said: “The letter on the March 22nd is clearly the straw that has broken the back in terms of spelling out exactly what the real agenda is here, the new management structure at Bus Éireann have clearly signalled that they are intent on pursuing a race to the bottom in relation to workers jobs, terms and conditions and to reposition Bus Éireann as a low cost transport provider, mimicking some of the rogue operators that populate the so-called interurban market.”

“The representatives from all five Trade Unions met today to consider this most recent letter from Bus Éireann, those representatives reflected the extreme and at this stage, uncontainable anger among Grades.”

“The NBRU will now engage in an all-out indefinite strike from midnight tonight in response to Bus Éireann’s appalling declaration of war on its own workforce.”

The NBRU went on to say it “remains available at any stage to reengage on an efficiency based agenda in order to resolve the Expressway crisis”.