Dublin Bus wishes to advise customers that it is likely there will be industrial action by all employees on Thursday 8 September and Friday 9 September.
The Trade Unions have confirmed that this action will take place from midnight on Wednesday night, 7 September. This leaves us with no option but to terminate all routes at 21.00 on Wednesday night.
• On Wednesday, 7 September, the final departures on all Dublin Bus services will be up to and including 21.00. This includes Airlink services. This is to ensure the safe and secure return of buses to each depot prior to the commencement of industrial action by all employees at midnight that night. Please see here for a full list of routes and last departure times for each route
• The Ghostbus Tour is cancelled on Wednesday
• No Dublin Bus routes, sightseeing tours or Airlink services will operate on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 September
• Nitelink services will not operate on Friday night/Saturday morning (9/10 September). Nitelink services will operate on Saturday night/Sunday morning (10/11 September)
Dublin Bus has urged Trade Unions not to engage in this industrial action which will cause unnecessary inconvenience to customers. We will continue to make every endeavour to avoid any disruption to services and find a resolution to the matter.
Regular updates on the situation will be issued here and on our social media accounts Facebook and Twitter @dublinbusnews.
Our social media team and customer service line (01-8734222) will be open from 07.00 to 23.30 on Wednesday, 7 September. Our social media team will be available from 06.00 to 21.00 on Thursday, 8 September and Friday, 9 September.
Dublin Bus Head Office and customer service phone line will be closed on Thursday, 8 and Friday, 9 September. Our customer service phone line will reopen at 07.00 on Saturday, 10 September and Dublin Bus Head Office will reopen at 09.00 on Saturday.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Background information on the dispute
The company outlined to the Trade Unions that it does not currently have the financial resources to fund a pay increase over and above the 8.25% recommended by the Labour Court. However, we advised that we are prepared to engage with all grades of employees in exploring all areas of productivity that can achieve cost savings to fund additional increases in pay over and above the Labour Court Recommendation. Dublin Bus has engaged with the Trade Unions and participated in discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission and in the Labour Court over a 13 month period which culminated in the current Labour Court Recommendation (July 19).
Having come through years of financial instability and change, Dublin Bus has a responsibility to continue to manage its finances in order to safeguard the economic and financial stability of the company. Dublin Bus urges the Trade Union group and all employees not to take part in any industrial action but to engage in discussions to explore areas of productivity that can achieve savings and ultimately fund an additional increase in pay over and above the Labour Court Recommendation of 8.25%.
Any form of industrial action will inconvenience in excess of 400,000 Dublin Bus customers each day and leave some customers with little or no other transport option. It will have a negative impact on our city, our company and has the potential to undo the financial stability that has been achieved in recent years.