Businesses say the Dublin Bus strikes are 'grinding the city to a halt'
The Dublin Chamber of Commerce has called on those involved to settle the dispute.
ONE OF DUBLIN’S largest business groups has called for a resolution to the Dublin Bus strikes which have caused chaos for commuters.
The Dublin Chamber of Commerce called on all parties involved in the current Dublin Bus dispute “to find a resolution that will prevent further strike action”.
It warned that the strikes have hit the ability of businesses to plan for the future, with the organisation’s public affairs manager, Graeme McQueen adding that it is also preventing companies “from being able to make strategic decisions about jobs and growth”.
“The strikes also come at a time when Dublin is seeking to win investment from abroad. The longer the current impasse continues, the bigger the risk to Dublin and Ireland’s reputation,” he said.
“It is in everyone’s interest to resolve the current dispute as quickly as possible.”
Saturation point
McQueen added that Dublin’s public transport network “is at saturation point on a daily basis”.
“The significant lack of investment in our transport infrastructure over the past decade means that when one cog in the machine goes down, the city grinds to a halt,” he said.
“This has an impact on all workers and all businesses in the city. For many companies it means having to allow employees to alter their working hours, to work from home or to use annual leave.”
The call came just as Dublin Bus workers announced plans to strike for 13 additional days next month as the dispute with the company grows.
Dublin Bus workers are on strike today, with the second of two 48-hour stoppages underway.
The strike has put more demand on the Luas
Pay
Unions are seeking a 15% pay increase over the next three years for drivers and a 6% rise they say they were due to get under an agreement in 2009, but which was deferred.
The strike comes about after unions rejected a Labour Court recommended 8.25% increase over the next three years.
The head of the National Bus and Rail Union previously said that the organisation is looking for an increase similar to that received by the Luas drivers, who recently secured an 18% pay rise over four years following a long and bitter dispute.
Union representatives pointed out that Dublin Bus returned to profit in 2014, and pointed to an increase in passenger numbers and revenue over the last five years.
A spokesman for the Unite union said that the government is “disengaged” with the current problems at the organisation, and added that there is an issue in the state subvention of Dublin Bus.
“On September 27th, Dublin Bus workers will be joined by members of the trade union movement as a whole and the general public in bringing our message to the gates of Dail Eireann: public transport is a public good, and must be funded accordingly”,” he said.
