The Government has accepted a joint proposal from ICTU and IBEC that a Group should be established to carry out an urgent investigation of how the Labour Court recommendation in respect of cost reduction measures in Dublin Bus can be progressed.
The background is that the Dublin Bus driving grade has rejected by ballot on three occasions the cost reduction proposals designed to achieve financial stability in the company, which were the subject of a Labour Court recommendation, a subsequent Labour Court Clarification and a further set of management proposals.
The other six grades in Dublin Bus have accepted the cost reduction proposals.
The Government, ICTU and IBEC note that the Labour Court stated that its recommendations were based on the conclusion that the financial evidence, which was independently examined and verified by consultants nominated by the Unions, showed that the savings were plainly and unambiguously necessary in order to protect employment. They are conscious that the continued deferral of the implementation of cost reduction measures places employment in the company at increased risk. The Government, ICTU and IBEC are also of the view that a final effort should be made to resolve the matter without further strike action, which would be very disruptive for commuters and could have very serious consequences for the company, its employees and for the economy.
The Group has therefore been established today and has already had its first meeting. The Government is represented by the Secretary General of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Tom O’Mahony, who is chairing the Group, and the Secretary General of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr John Murphy. ICTU is represented by its General Secretary, Mr David Begg and IBEC is represented by its Chief Executive, Danny McCoy.
The Group has been given the following terms of reference and has been asked to carry out its work in the shortest feasible timescale:
to identify the issues in the proposals which have contributed to their rejection by the driving grade;
to identify how those issues can be resolved;
to make recommendations including a timescale for implementation.
The Group is making immediate arrangements to engage external expertise to carry out a detailed investigation on its behalf, including discussions with management, trade unions and drivers.