60,000 face disruption as Dublin Bus services hit

Dublin Bus has said that up to 60,000 passengers could face disruption today as a result of industrial action by drivers at the Harristown garage in north Dublin.

The company yesterday warned that if the industrial action went ahead, no bus would run on 25 routes while there would be a limited service on 11 others. Dublin Bus said that the main areas which were likely to be affected to varying degrees were: Finglas, Swords, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Donabate, Portrane, Dunboyne, Little Pace, Tyrrellstown, Damastown, Portmarnock, Kinsealy and Kilmore.

The row between Dublin Bus and the unions representing drivers, Siptu and the NBRU, centres on rosters for two new routes which the company is planning to introduce from today. The company wants some drivers on the new routes to start, break and finish in the city centre. The unions argue that under a deal reached to allow the opening of the Harristown depot in 2004, it was agreed that all starts, breaks and finishes were to take place at the garage. The company does not accept that any such terms were agreed.

The unions have said that their members will not operate the new routes, the 4A from Ballymun to Stradbrook and 128 from Clongriffin to Rathmines, which the company has said will be introduced today.

A Dublin Bus spokeswoman said yesterday that drivers assigned to the new routes who refused to drive buses would face the normal disciplinary action, which is suspension. The suspension of any driver at the Harristown depot is likely to lead to an immediate shutdown of the garage in response.

The drivers have voted for industrial action but this is not due to take effect for a number of days. Any industrial action initially is likely to be confined to the Harristown garage. Unions are concerned that the dispute could escalate with unofficial pickets placed at other depots. However, the unions said yesterday that industrial action was not inevitable.

NBRU general secretary Michael Faherty hoped that the company would "see sense" and not suspend any drivers refusing to operate the new services.

Siptu said it remained available to enter negotiations with Dublin Bus and was willing to explore ways of facilitating the introduction of new routes. Siptu branch organiser Willie Noone said if disruption did occur, it would be because the company had tried to change rosters and working conditions for drivers unilaterally.

Dublin Bus said it regretted that trade unions intended to engage in disruption.

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times