Politicians and business representatives have called for action after the National Bus and Rail Workers Union announced its members would be taking part in work stoppages starting at the end of the month.
Labour spokesman on transport Tommy Broughan has called for Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey to take a hands on approach to the escalating action at Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann.
Mr Broughan asked the Minister to engage with staff and management at the transport firms and address what he described as "savage" cutbacks in jobs and services that would have a "profoundly devastating impact" on rural and urban communities across the country.
"It is incredible that Minister Noel Dempsey continues to stand idly by with the bus sector in absolute crisis. Commuters around the country are shattered by the level of cutbacks to essential bus services that they face with the loss of nearly 400 buses and 600 bus drivers and the slashing of bus routes and frequencies," he said.
"The serious prospect of widespread strike action by bus workers who rightly oppose the massive job cutbacks will be a further blow to commuters. The public transport system is clearly at breaking point. Yet Minister Dempsey shows very inclination to get involved and sort out the mess he helped to create."
The Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association (Isme) criticised the decision by the NBRU, describing it as "pointless" and accusing the union of failing to accept the commercial realities facing Ireland.
Isme chief executive Mark Fielding said the action was "a blatant attempt to hold the country to ransom" and called on the union to consider the disruption to the public and the business community.
"By attempting to 'blackmail' the Government with strike action, the NBRU are setting a dangerous precedent for other trade unions, which will do further untold damage to the economy," he said.
Mr Fielding said the action would inconvenience passengers and the business community, and called for a reversal of the decision.