Mr. Greg Ennis:

I will not reiterate what Mr. O'Leary from the NBRU has stated. However, the first thing that needs to happen is that the employer, Bus Éireann, needs to take the gun away from our members heads with regard to threats to cut their terms and conditions unilaterally from Monday morning. This was referenced in a recent Private Members' motion and strongly supported in the Dáil. The motion also referred to the company being adequately funded and so forth. However, the first thing that needs to happen is the pressure valve needs to be released. The second thing that needs to happen is for all protagonists, including the Department of Social Protection, to play their role. Third, if we could create the space to do it, in the longer term all parties should be considering the possibility of a sectoral employment order for bus drivers, in which they would be substantially represented. Following a Labour Court decision and ministerial order and approval, such an order would set a rate of pay for bus drivers in the State, be they in the public or private sector. We would always seek to achieve and achieve beyond the base rate, but bringing in a base rate for private operators would mean that some of the current unfairness in the market would go. Many of those who are driving in the private sector are on the minimum wage or just above it. This has been confirmed in public discourse and needs to be examined.

In the context of solution-mode, SIPTU is up for solutions. We have made that clear in our submission and Deputy Fitzpatrick has picked up on it. We do not want a strike to take place. However, for probably the first time in a semi-State company - we have members across the semi-State sector - our members' earnings are under attack to the tune of 20% to 30%, depending on their grade. Drivers with 20 years' and 30 years' service earn €624 a week for a 39-hour week. We will not sit idly by and see those people targeted. The whole thing, including PSO and non-PSO routes, needs to be examined. I am well aware of the direct award contracts that are due to run for the next number of years, but the routes that are not PSO obligated that pick people up in the rural towns and villages need to be examined. It behoves all of us - all the protagonists - to get in and discuss it.