Dublin to Derry Expressway Faces Axe in June
Michael Fisher
Bus Éireann is to press ahead with significant cost reduction measures without union agreement, including the closure of its twice daily services in each direction on the Dublin to Derry route via Monaghan.
The two unions involved have consistently warned that if management did so, it would trigger an all-out, indefinite strike.
In a letter to staff yesterday, acting Chief Executive Ray Hernan accused unions of refusing to accept any reduction of earnings, including unnecessary overtime, in previous negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission.
He said that in their latest clarifications, unions had in a very general way indicated a willingness to negotiate and accept a loss of overtime earnings. However, this related only to “ad-hoc” overtime, which would save less than €500,000 in a full year. He said that given the unions’ position, there was no basis for talks reconvening.
He stated: “We deferred critical cost measures while at the WRC, but these can no longer be deferred. Maintaining the status quo is simply…
