Dublin Bus drivers returned to work this morning after voting last night in favour of proposals to resolve a dispute which has caused travel chaos to over 60,000 commuters.
The drivers at the Harristown garage in north Dublin, who are members of Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), voted by margins of around 60-40 in favour of a back-to-work formula drawn up by the Labour Court on Saturday.
Around 60,000 passengers, mainly in the north and west of Dublin, had been without services since last Monday.
As a result of the vote, bus services for the areas hit by the strike; Finglas, Swords, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Donabate, Portrane, Dunboyne, Little Pace, Tyrrellstown, Damastown, Portmarnock, Kinsealy and Kilmore returned to normal today.
Two new routes at the heart of the row, the 4A from Ballymun to Blackrock and 128 from Clongriffin to Rathmines, have also started operating.
The drivers had expressed concern that some drivers on the new routes would have to start and finish their shifts and take their breaks in the city centre rather than at the Harristown depot.
They argued that the travelling time of 45 minutes set out by the company for making their way into the city centre was insufficient and that their working week could be lengthened as a result.
It is understood that the Labour Court proposals seek to add extra travel time to the working day for drivers working on the new routes.
Trade union bosses from both Siptu and the NBRU have apologised to passengers for the action, but blamed the company for unilaterally introducing the routes - the 4A and 128 - without first discussing the rosters with drivers.
Dublin Bus also apologised to its customers but claimed the long-standing agreement between the company and trade unions is that drivers can start, break and finish at either the garage or the city centre.
- A new privately run bus service between Swords and Dublin city centre began operating today. The hourly service uses the Dublin Port tunnel and promises passengers a fully seated, 35-minute journey. The Swords Express will operate a total of 56 services a day with services every 15 minutes in both directions during rush hours. The service costs €3 or €2 for under-16s.