Bus Eireann

Congress expresses its grave concern at developments in Bus Eireann in recent months which necessitated its workers to strike to defend their agreed terms and conditions against attempts by its management to force through cuts in these which is tantamount to race to the bottom. We regard this as another step on the Fine Gael policy of privatisation of the public bus sector as stated in its 2011 Election Manifesto and implemented by a very willing Transport Minister Shane Ross who himself has expressed open hostility to the C.I.E. companies. We condemn the cuts in public subvention to Bus Eireann from in 2009 to in 2015, while the company and its workers paid 59m in taxes, PRSI and USC to the exchequer - that year Horse Racing received €60m from the State. We also condemn in the strongest possible terms the role of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in effectively sabotaging Bus Eireann by issuing licences to private operators on the most lucrative bus routes, while denying Bus Eireann any of these routes, but instead con ning it to Expressway services which, while socially very desirable, were completely uneconomic due to faster journey times being available from the largely non-stop privately operated routes. Congress deplores the fact that the NTA plays no role in insisting that these private operators abide by any standards such as the enforcement of the EU Working Time directive, or the provision on facilities for passengers at terminals as required under EU law. Neither is there any nationally set wage level for bus drivers other than the minimum wage and it is widely believed that some private operators do not even pay this. We therefore call for the following measures to secure the future of Bus Eireann, its workers and the tens of thousands of people who depend on it to meet their travel needs: An increase of the PSO funding to the 2009 level. That the Dept. of Social Welfare increases its payment per journey to the 2009 level. Insist on a level playing pitch between Bus Eireann and private operators by Insisting that licence' s are only given to operators who sign up to a code of decent work which would include abiding by legal driving hours and pay. Ensuring that these operators be obliged to negotiate with Trade Unions that the workers chose to represent them The Department of Social Welfare Travel Pass be accepted on all licenced bus services. All bus operators to be obliged to provide passenger facilities at terminals. That all of the above be strictly enforced and that those found to be in breach of any of them have their licence/s revoked. A Sectoral Employment Order be introduced for workers in the bus industry. That Bus Eireann be granted non- stop Expressway routes just as private operators are. Where existing BusEireann Expressway services are found to be providing a socially desirable service, that they be funded as PSO services. That plans to tender out 10% of PSO routes be scrapped. That the NTA be abolished and its functions to be transferred to the CIE holding company. This model works well in other European countries such as in Paris where the RATP is both the public owner and regulator of all public transport in the Paris Region.