Weekend's bus strike called off
Planned strike action at Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann this weekend has been called off.
Unions and management met at the Labour Relations Commission late into the night, to discuss the tendering of some routes at the State owned companies.
The agreement includes a commitment from the bus companies that any legacy costs from the tendering process will not be borne by workers.
Unions also got assurances on workers terms and conditions, and that there would be no compulsory transfer of staff.
Bus services will now operate as normal this Friday and Saturday and the threat of further strike action has been withdrawn.
National Bus and Rail Union general secretary Dermot O’Leary said: "We went into these set of discussions with a clear focus on what was required to address the concerns of our members as part of the original agreed inter-locked agenda.
"Those concerns included the security of employment in both companies and the future in terms of seeing beyond 2019.
"Both companies growth strategy will be supported by Government, there is also a commitment to immediately establish a process to deal with our concerns with the legislation covering future contract awards, this will help to underpin the Ministers commitment to having a strong Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann into the future.
"A Social Clause type arrangement with agreed employment standards under a Sectorial Employment Order (SEO) will form part of any new public transport service contract; the NTA will apply a performance regime which will have the power to enforce penalties, inclusive of the ultimate sanction of contract cessation: we were also given assurances that labour costs will not necessarily be the dominant factor in the criteria process."
Dublin Bus welcomed the settlement proposals and the withdrawal of any further planned industrial action.
"Our services will operate as normal on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16", it said in a statement.
"We thank the Labour Relations Commission for their assistance throughout this process and also thank all the parties involved in the talks for their positive and constructive approach."
