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SIPTU to ballot for strike action as Bus Éireann commits to cost cutting

Bus Éireann has said it plans to implement Labour Court recommendations which will mean some workers at the bus company work longer for less pay.

SIPTU IS TO ballot for strike action among its over 900 members who work at Bus Éireann after management at the travel firm committed to implementing a number of changes to pay and conditions.

Changes to overtime and premium payments along with longer working hours for office staff and reductions in annual leave will mean that some staff will work longer for less pay as Bus Éireann targets €20 million in savings including €9 million from changes to pay and conditions.

The company said today it was implementing recommendations from the Labour Court and had informed unions representing workers that these changes would come into effect from 12 May.

Responding this afternoon, SIPTU’s Willie Noone said he was now in the process of sending out ballots to members for strike action: “The company will say that they are protecting core pay but people are working extra hours for nothing.

“They’re telling people that their basic pay is the same but they cut pay for shift work. Strictly speaking those working Monday to Friday may not get a pay cut but people who work Sundays and shift work will be down €80 or €90 a week and they simply cannot afford it.”

He told TheJournal.ie that a ballot of members would take around a fortnight to complete and would be for strike action, adding: “It’s a ballot for strike action, if you ballot for industrial action you have the option of going out on strike.

“But if you ballot for strike action, we’re going out on strike. If they (SIPTU members) can’t afford to go to work they might as well be on strike,” Noone added.

Announcing the cost cutting measures today, a spokesperson for Bus Éireann said the measures were designed to “protection the future of the company” adding: “We also have no other choice but to remind employees and trade unions once again, that unlike the wider public sector, there is no safety net for Bus Éireann; if we do not reduce our cost base, job losses may be unavoidable.”

The changes, as recommended by the Labour Court, that will come into effect next month include:

  • Reduction of overtime rates from 1.5 times to 1.25 times for first two hours of overtime and at 1.5 times thereafter
  • An increase in the working week for clerical and executive staff from 36 hours to 39 hours
  • A reduction in shift payment of 1/6th to 1/7th (if company’s financial situation improves significantly this will be reviewed in 2014 with a view to restoring the shift rates to current levels)
  • A reduction in premium payments such as double time on Sundays to now be paid at 1.5 times
  • A reduction in annual leave entitlement by 3 days for three years (2013, 2014, 2015)
  • A reduction in self-certified sick leave from 4 to a maximum of 2 days per annum
  • A range of allowance and expense payments will be reduced by 20 per cent

Bus Éireann estimates these changes will save €5 million annually and pointed out that it is now facing potential annual losses of more than €11 million, citing the economic environment, rising fuel costs, and a reduction in State funding.

Read: Commuters could save thousands by ditching their cars – Bus Éireann

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36 Comments
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    Mute Paddy Mac
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:28 PM

    Meanwhile two tayto vans seen speeding into rear of rte studios!

    493
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    Mute Stephen Doyle
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:30 PM

    Destroyed in a controlled manner? Was fire involved? Hope no one inhaled

    400
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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Oct 10th 2014, 9:00 PM

    So rte have used our licence money to buy drugs….now I have seen it all

    105
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:43 PM

    Dobbo was seen last night begging for skins outside the chipper in Donnybrook…

    360
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    Mute Diarmuid
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:29 PM

    Typical RTE… taxpayers’ money going up in smoke

    263
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    Mute NoNeed4cryptoGreed
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:53 PM

    Seen this last night, very good tutorial.

    188
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    Mute Paddy Hannigan
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:48 PM

    How much did he pay online ? We need to know the ins and out’s of this.Will this online system put local dealers out of business. Look, lets face it , drugs being delivered to RTE staff is hardly a new development. Besides the whole world is aware of Silk Road ect.I don’t really see what a report on RTE is going to achieve other than give a tutorial on how to shop online.

    Long live The Dread Pirate Roberts!!! Arrrrrgh!*joking*

    117
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    Mute CAPITAINE ADEBAYO
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:46 PM

    Eammon Dunphy snorted it.

    93
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    Mute Gary
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    Oct 10th 2014, 3:57 PM

    That’s showbiz baby!!

    55
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    Mute CAPITAINE ADEBAYO
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    Oct 10th 2014, 4:06 PM

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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:36 PM

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    92
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    Mute Marko Burns
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:55 PM

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    Mute Rocky Raccoon
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    Oct 10th 2014, 3:11 PM

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    Mute Charles Doran
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    Oct 10th 2014, 6:41 PM

    You mean horse from tesco.

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    Mute Charles Doran
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    Oct 10th 2014, 6:46 PM

    Surely you mean horse.

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    Mute inproperganda
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:42 PM

    where can one order this wonderful medicine… any links?i

    61
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    Mute buzzbaron
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    Oct 10th 2014, 3:52 PM

    silkroad6ownowfk.onion

    33
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    Mute NoNeed4cryptoGreed
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    Oct 10th 2014, 3:59 PM

    You need to get your gritty little paws on some bitcoin first..

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    Mute buzzbaron
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    Oct 10th 2014, 4:53 PM

    https://bitcoin.org/ sorts those gritty little paws out ;-)

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    Mute Roisín Marsh
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    Oct 10th 2014, 3:04 PM

    Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t it the “deep web” and not the “dark net.” I thought the dark net was a group of computers on a private connection where as the deep net is for sites such as the one shown which will not come up through ordinary search engines.

    50
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    Mute Paddy Hannigan
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    Oct 10th 2014, 3:30 PM

    Thats why you really shouldn’t put too much faith in RTE reports on this kinda thing.

    38
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    Mute NoNeed4cryptoGreed
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    Oct 10th 2014, 5:52 PM

    It’s the same thing. You need TOR to access dark net. To access a site on the dark net the address should end with .onion

    10
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    Mute NoNeed4cryptoGreed
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    Oct 10th 2014, 5:53 PM

    Must end .onion

    6
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    Mute LesBehan
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:58 PM

    “Not that we’d ever suspected them anything — an RTÉ spokesperson confirmed this afternoon that the product was destroyed in a controlled manner, in keeping with programme guidelines.”

    Yeah Cocaine is more their thing!

    39
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    Mute steve white
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:37 PM

    buying a bit of hash from overseas by post via tor is that really practical?

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    Mute Flash Gordon
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    Oct 10th 2014, 2:51 PM

    I’d say most of the researchers smoked it because of all the sh 1 t on TV !

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    Mute Martin Kavanagh
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    Oct 10th 2014, 4:44 PM

    :) destroyed in a series of small fires

    27
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    Mute Allan O'Shea
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    Oct 10th 2014, 5:47 PM

    It really shows how out of date our drug laws are. We cannot hold back the tide when you can get it delivered to your door as easy as that. Enforcing drug laws is impossible and a new approach is required to better our society.

    27
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    Mute Barry Ryan
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    Oct 10th 2014, 8:56 PM

    I have not had some brown for years! Would love one for old times sake. Nothing but weed around now. Thanks RTE, …. now where did you buy this?

    18
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    Mute Cathal O'Donoghue
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    Oct 10th 2014, 8:36 PM

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    Mute jb
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    Mute Joseph Nolan
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    Mute Jeffrey McMahon
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    Oct 10th 2014, 10:16 PM

    Come to think of it I did see a lot of people in fancy suits and dresses heading towards the IFSC last night.

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    Mute jb
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    Oct 10th 2014, 8:58 PM

    could RTE pass on the contact ?

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    Oct 10th 2014, 11:07 PM

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