Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has called on the management of Bus Ath Cliath to get real and address the issue of workers’ wages in the company. Crowe said that many of the workers have been eight years without an increase.The TD who is a member of local Bus and LUAS forum called on the bus management to engage with unions, try and reach an acceptable accommodation or face into the very real prospect of industrial action.

95% of the members in the trade union SIPTU and 96% of the National Bus and Rail Union have now voted for industrial action

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“Bus Ath Cliath workers have not had a pay increase in eight years, but the cost of living and particularly accommodation in Dublin has rocketed

“During those long eight years, they have worked constructively with management to implement several measures that have increased productivity, taken pay cuts, seen payments deferred and reduced overall costs for the company.

“These changes were successful and the company has been in profit for the past two years, and looking likely to be again this year. For all their sacrifices and the change in terms of conditions that they accepted in good faith and during a difficult economic period they have received no remuneration.

“While costs go up and they listen to daily reports that the Country is out of the recession, they have seen no positive or significant change or increase in their take home pay.

“95% of the membership from the trade union SIPTU have agreed to take industrial action to secure an increase. This follows on last week’s decision by the National Bus and Rail Union who voted overwhelmingly for action by 96% and clearly reflects the level of anger among the bus employees.

“Eight years on, Bus Ath Cliath management need to ‘get real’ and engage meaningfully with workers and their representative unions on pay.

“Workers have legitimate expectations of a pay increase after eight years of putting their shoulder to the wheel to secure the company’s profitable position.

“Nobody can accuse them of being irresponsible or unreasonable given the ‘turn around’ their actions delivered for the company since 2008.

“No one wants to see industrial action and the impact that will have particularly on commuters, but it looks likely if management refuse to engage in realistic discussions around pay.

“I am publicly calling on management of Bus Ath Cliath to do just that and avert the imminent threat of industrial action.”