Unions at Dublin Bus have announced 13 additional strike days in an escalation of their row over pay.
Workers are seeking a flat rate increase of 15 percent over three years -– almost twice what’'s being offered by the company.
These commuters say it's a huge inconvenience;
Dublin Bus says it will assess the impact of the extra strikes,– which will mean 19 days without a bus service in the capital.
In a statement, the company said;
"Dublin Bus has received notification from the Trade Union Group of their intention to take further industrial action on 27 and 28 September and 1, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 18, 19, 24, 26, 29 October in pursuit of their 15% flat pay increase.
This industrial action is unnecessary and unjustified and will continue to cause significant disruption to our customers and trade in Dublin city.
To date, this industrial action has cost the company in excess of €4 million and continues to impact the financial stability of the company."
SIPTU has accused management at Dublin Bus and the Department of Transport of having little interest in resolving the outstanding issues.
SIPTU Transport, Energy, Aviation and Construction Division Organiser, Owen Reidy, said:
“Despite the fact that we are currently in the third day of strike action resulting from this dispute, it would seem that the management of Dublin Bus and the Department of Transport have little interest in resolving the outstanding issues.
“Our members are disappointed that the only response so far from the CEO of Dublin Bus to this dispute has been to call for talks at the Workplace Relations Commission to discuss a Labour Court recommendation that has already been rejected by over 90% of our members. It is not a genuine attempt to find an agreed resolution to this dispute.
“The trade unions at Dublin Bus have a responsibility to resolve this dispute. However, this cannot be done without input from management supported by the Department of Transport. What is needed is for all sides to commit to a serious negotiation process and display fresh thinking concerning the funding of Dublin’s public bus system. Workers are no longer prepared to be a soft touch whose pay is suppressed to subsidise a declining state subvention."
While NBRU boss Dermot O'Leary says unions are willing to return to talks if the 'precondition' of productivity is removed by Dublin Bus;
