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Sam Boal via RollingNews.ie

Bus Éireann management and unions argue over new rosters in latest dispute

For three weeks in April, industrial action at the company brought the State-run transport services to a halt.

A NEW ROSTER for Bus Éireann drivers is causing problems for the transport service, in the latest standoff between the company and unions.

Yesterday, Fianna Fáil TD for Meath East Thomas Byrne asked for an explanation after frequent bus cancellations in the county had come to his attention.

Buses failed to show up and services were cancelled without prior notice across various routes in the east of the country this week.

“In recent days, Bus Éireann has announced a list of cancellations at 7am each morning,” Byrne explained, which left commuters looking for a last-minute way to work and college.

RTÉ reports that the company said the delays have been caused by high rates of absenteeism, which coincided with the transport company’s new roster.

A spokesperson told RTÉ that absenteeism has doubled from 6% this time last year to 12%, at a time when absenteeism is falling elsewhere in the economy.

In response, Siptu condemned Bus Éireann’s “attempt to blame drivers”.

Siptu sector organiser Willie Noone said that its members made the company aware prior to the schedule changes that they thought routes could not be operated as advertised.

“Management was made aware that all the necessary drivers had not been route trained, it knew that certain journeys could not be done in the times allocated, and that rosters showing people working through the night on shifts of nearly 13-hours duration were not workable.

The issue of giving short breaks to drivers in remote locations, which did not allow drivers the chance to either avail of a toilet break or indeed take a rest period in line with legal requirements, had also been highlighted.

But the company said that the new roster and route changes were accepted by unions at a Labour Court ruling in May.

Problems at the State-run transport service – which has been incurring serious losses and teetered towards insolvency – boiled over earlier this year, culminating in three weeks of strikes which shut down public travel in much of the country.

Many passengers were left stranded with little other alternatives to get to work – a situation which now seems to have repeated itself in certain areas in the country’s east.

Byrne says that the last-minute cancellations, which Bus Éireann assures have now ceased, have been having a serious impact on communities.

“Many commuters across the county have experienced serious delays and have been left frustrated as a result of the recent cancellations,” he said.

Students from Meath have missed lectures in DCU and other universities because the bus they usually use has been delayed or cancelled entirely.
Other service users who have contacted me in recent days have had to cancel important hospital appointments because of the various cancellations and delays.

Read: Largest Bus Éireann union votes to accept Labour Court recommendations

From April: Strike over: Bus Éireann says some services may resume tonight but most will be back tomorrow

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    Mute Anthony Hilton
    Favourite Anthony Hilton
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:40 PM

    When will people realise that the government don’t care about the people

    154
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    Mute Larsen Cib
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:45 PM

    @Anthony Hilton: why not? Leonardo and Martin said thank you didnt they?
    Now you can store a big thank you in your fridge and pay for your transport to work.

    Just let them know that you are paying with the governments ” thank you “

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    Mute Colm OS
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    Aug 16th 2021, 4:52 PM

    Without doubt Healthcare workers deserve recognition and reward but it wasn’t just Healthcare workers who put themselves at risk. All the supermarket, pharmacy and non hse Healthcare staff (as a few examples) all took on risk which they deserve to be rewarded for

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    Mute Niamh Hughes
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    Aug 16th 2021, 11:57 PM

    @Colm OS: Dunnes stores employees got a 10% raise and a 20% discount card for their shopping. I stand to be corrected but I also think Tesco rewarded their employees too. Healthcare workers got a round of applause.

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    Mute John Fagan
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    Aug 16th 2021, 5:10 PM

    The problem with this is that if you give to one in the union, you have to give it to the lot of them. This includes managers who sat at home during the pandemic, administration staff who worked from home and people who just didn’t bother coming in because they didn’t want to catch covid. Plus the fact that every other public servant will want it. Who decides who deserves it?

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    Mute Niall Lee
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    Aug 16th 2021, 5:22 PM

    @John Fagan: every single one of them

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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:51 PM

    These unions need separation from influence of government, if they are unhappy, go to LRC or labour court for each law broken if any. The days of ministers showing up at conventions also need to stop. The unions have never helped to fix the issues and it’s amazing how many pay rises fix the issues in the HSE

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:40 PM

    The demand doesn’t seem to be very clear. Are the unions looking for compensation for all workers in the health sector, front line workers or what exactly? How many staff are they seeking compensation for? The HSE employees about 70,000 alone, throw in all the voluntary hospitals, care workers…. They must be able to put a number on it.

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    Mute Derek Moean
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    Aug 16th 2021, 4:10 PM

    Leo will give them around of applause…

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    Mute Ian Breathnach
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    Aug 16th 2021, 9:01 PM

    @Derek Moean: he’ll give them a pay rise, then claim he too is a Doctor and take said pay rise himself.

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    Mute Margaret Kane
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    Aug 17th 2021, 12:34 PM

    TDs certainly don’t suffer hardships they’ve no problems robbing the taxpayers money to give themselves big rises

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