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THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT, TOURISM AND SPORT Leo Varadkar has said that Bus Éireann can’t postpone the implementation of cost-saving recommendations any longer.
Commenting on SIPTU’s plans to ballot for strike action, the minister said that Bus Éireann was in a “very difficult financial position” and that the unsustainable nature of its losses had placed the “viability of the company at risk.”
The cost-cutting measures as proposed by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) are due to come into effect on 12 May.
Varadkar warned that unless unions engaged with Bus Éireann to “discuss alternative approaches” before this date, the implementation of the measures as they stand “must proceed”.
11 months after deliberations started and three months after the Labour Court recommendation was issued, the company simply can’t postpone the implementation any longer.
Speaking of protecting bus services for the public, he added that the loss-making nature of its current services needed to be addressed once and for all.
The future of the company needs to be secured, for the public who depend on its services and for the benefit of its employees.
Bus Éireann runs commercial Expressway Services which are currently loss making and legally the State cannot support these services.
The viability of these services can only be secured if these savings are now achieved.
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The transport guy talking about transport, that is the only shocking thing in this article.
He’s certainly a t*ol but on this point I’d agree with him.
The companies losing money – either they can accept wage cuts or lost their jobs and a significant amount of their pensions in the long run. There’s no real, sustainable alternative.
But, but, but……………
No you’re right just sell the thing off if the unions don’t want to play ball
Exactly, though no-one would buy it with a militant union. It’d just go under, obviously there’d be a temporary disruption to service but a few private companies would emerge and price competition would create the lowest price for the consumer.
The only losers would be the drivers left eating sawdust as the union leaders walked away with their huge bank balances.
@finglas. Was just thinking that. Very unusual indeed..
Can’t beat the public sector safety net.
What safety net , its a semi state body . Doesn’t have the same security as other sectors
If a private sector company was loosing money it would either cut pay or cut jobs,it makes sense.theres no hiding behind unions
It would be a profit making company if it worked profitable routes… the problem is that its a public service serving people in the middle of nowhere… privatisation is not the answer as no private company would work routes that aren’t going to make a profit…
The losers will be people who live on less profitable routes which the for-profit orivate transpirt companies won’t be interested in
Stephen, the losers will be the people on non-profitable routes which the for-profit companies will not be interested in servicing.
Sorry. My comment went in twice?!
How’s about you tackle the obscene wages of senior management Leo? €185,000 for an average managers salary? Rising to €205,000?! Dozens of jobs for the boys over the years! Procurement managers awarding contracts to offspring & in laws!!! Take your head out of the sand Leo, start at the top with your cuts, lower fares, rigorously police the routes for antisocial behaviour. It’s Bus Éireann not NASA (not rocket science!).
He can’t cut from the top. A lot of appointments in Bus Eireann overs the years can be linked to politics. Fianna Fail family memners being made inspectors and the like.
Oh yes cos top management are inspectors. They are just above the unkempt drivers and their ilk.
Leo “Foot in Mouth” Varadkar wants to cut the wages of ordinary workers but is not prepared to take a cut in his own massive salary
Most unusual that Varadkar should be commenting on issues relevant to his Ministry.
F##k them. Let them strike away. Company is losing money and must make cutbacks. Yes start at the top first but overheads must be cut to return it to profit. This attitude of you can’t do anything because i am in a Union is BS. Cuts have to be made so they should just do it and get it over with. No such thing as a job for life.
Man you got a chip on your shoulder . Most in the company are not on brilliant wages just normal joe soaps trying to get by on a ok wage.
Finally, THANK YOU.
We need to stop this Union bull****. It’s costing us a fortune.
Ahhhhh seriously if unions were not there people would be slaves.
If unions were not there we would be getting goods and services provided at a rate decided by demand not at a rate demanded by overpaid arrogant union officials. Gardai, Medical & Fire Service not included.
@itswhatitis that’s ridiculous, the majority of workers in the country aren’t in unions and we’re not treated like slaves. If a company is making a loss, it needs to either increase prices or reduce overheads…they’ve already increased prices (I should know, I now spend €2500pa commuting with them)…now they need to decrease overheads. The workers either need to collectively take a wage cut or a portion of them need to be made redundant. what’s the better option?
Oh well then lets just keep paying them ! What a moronic comment to make.
Its not ok for for people to pay household charges and water charges etc etc etc but its fine to cut bus drivers wages, meagre and all as they are.I don’t think rhe amoint they are paying bus drivers is the problem
The reason they’re cutting them is because they are anything but meager for performing the task an unmanned google car can.
The company loses money because it provides a service that no private company will provide. That is, it provides routes into practically every town and village in the country. No private company will provide that service because its not commercially viable.
So the question is, do we cut another vital service to those living in rural communities even though those people also pay taxes like everyone else?
It’s called social solidarity, that’s what taxes are for. The proposed cuts are nothing more than a transfer of wealth from ordinary citizens to central government, and from central government to the bankers and bondholders.
Bus Eireann hasnt stopped In my local stop at Inch for well over a yearsnow and have cut many other rural stops along that Dublin- Wexford route also. Dunno where your gettin this uptopian bus service from
@Cian
I never said it was perfect, far from it. But it will be a lot worse if the cuts go ahead. And pretty disastrous if public transport was altogether privatised.
Hopefully the Government will hold the line here. Time to stop ponying up for the inefficiently run Bus Éireann .
The Unions haven’t a leg to stand on. The cost-cutting measures are as proposed by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC)
Hi Willian,
The issue with your username has been fixed.
Kind Regards,
Paul
The workers in bus eireann dublin bus have already taken pay cuts up to 15 per cent in the form of cost cutting plans they work longer hours in some cases have tacograph infringements trying to make the journey on time yet. The companies are top heavy with three managers per depot no revenue collection maybe the three companies should be joined back together and offload a third of the executive grade and increase productivity of management drivers can only drive within the law full stop
Thanks Paul. Kind Regards.
Are u calling him willy now???
The LRC is in the government and employer pockets it seems, every decision it makes seems to be in favor of them and not the employee, eroding any conditions that employees have or had, getting back to workhouse/sweatshop conditions and no rights for the worker!
These extremist comments are becoming tedious. It’s economics:
Profit= income > expenses
Loss= income < expenses
To turn a loss to a profit, income needs to be increased (raise prices) or expenses decreased (reduce expenses)
They've already increased prices. Now explain to me what you think they should do next.
the reports i read include asking admin staff to work 38 hours a week instead of 35—now that is hardly “getting back to workhouse/sweatshop conditions” now is it….
This is just the start if the employers have their way. Awhile back, Boots made the most profit they ever had and they were to cut staff wages even with all the profits they made. A lot of employers are are treating their staff like a disposable item. If you don’t like it you can take a hike, plenty more out there to replace you. Many employees are afraid to open their mouths in case they get fired!
If you believe that you have to be in a union listening to your shop steward. Sweat shops! No rights. Grow up son.
In their narrow minds it actually is. Scary but true.
…and work is a loose term. These boys have more breaks than Evil Keneval’s legs.
The unions where called to reconvien discussions and where making progress when out of nowhere bully boy tactics of management changed their minds and decided to implement changes without agreement on a workforce already working aJt close to minimum wage unsociable hours while management enjoy top shelf salaries it is obvious that the instruction came from the minister to force the union hand into industrial action that nobody can afford but fight the staff must because this is a fight against government interference in all areas of work in the same way other frontline services are attacked under croke park
I wouldn’t call 50-60k per annum minimum wage. And it’s better to have a paying job than to be out on your ear with redundancy, no?
Shhh Mary you can’t say that around here the public sector will be out for your blood,you won’t be allowed on a bus again.
Haha I’m sitting on one right now! Driver looks angry, think he’s on to me!
You’re just bitter since they got rid of the conductors. The likes of which you would regularly see in the slot machines on burgh quay on their breaks using the change from the fares they’d taken.
Mary the worrying part is they genuinely feel hard done by. You and I think they are pulling our chains but they believe it.
Hows this for ya Paul, Leo is not a nice guy. Is that ok
Leo , Leo … F**k off …
This guy is a pompous jumped up jerk what have you being doing Leo for the last 11 months ur the minister
Shit. Did he walk into the wrong office today after a wild night out with hallucinogenic drugs? usually he’s off talking bout non transport related stuff
Says the fella who’s username is Genius.
God damn removed comments! :)
Who is a genius now waaaaahaaaa
Says the fella who’s username is snooch,
After a particularly crappy journey to Galway on Wednesday by bus I am not feeling at all sympathetic. There are a few obnoxious drivers who should have their salaries cut by 100%..,.
The minister ironically enters the discussion now yet when bus eireann contacted the nbru to sit back down to continue ongoing talks union arrived ti be told no more talks implementation would commence this Sunday who is pulling the company strings minster? Asking for talks when union were accepting talks something not right nobody wants a dispute but nobody wants their rights dismantled either
It should be privatised.
Wow he is actually talking about something concerning transport. Shock horror!
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