Drivers at Dublin Bus held a protest outside the headquarters of Dublin Bus on O'Connell street today as unions and company management met at the Labour Court to try and resolve their dispute.
The members of the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), which represents 3,700 employees of the three CIE groups, marched from Parnell Square to Dublin Bus headquarters on O'Connell Street at 11am. Almost 300 drivers attended the march.
Meanwhile, meetings between the company, unions and the chairman of the Labour Court, Kevin Duffy began this morning. Dublin Bus and the unions met Mr Duffy separately. Mr Duffy intervened in the dispute at the company yesterday by inviting both sides to talks.
However, there was no sign of a resolution as talks ended and bus services are expected to be disrupted again tomorrow.
Speaking in the Dáil this morning, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern wished both sides well in resolving the dispute as quickly as possible. "I hope they can resolve these issues. I know it is a wet morning and I know 60,000 people have to make alternative arrangements this morning," he said.
The dispute, which is now in its third day, has seen some 60,000 passengers without services for the past two days.
The services most affected are in the north and west Dublin areas.
The dispute centres around new rosters for drivers assigned to operate two new cross-city routes which the company wants to introduce.
The drivers are also opposed to new scheduling that means they will have to start, break and finish work in the city centre.
More than 100 drivers at the north Dublin garage began industrial action on Monday after a female driver, who refused to drive a bus on one of the new routes, was suspended by Dublin Bus management.
The main areas affected are Finglas, Swords, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Donabate, Portrane, Dunboyne, Littlepace, Tyrrelstown, Damastown, Portmarnock, Kinsealy and Kilmore.
The following routes have no service: 4, 13, 13a, 17a, 27b, 27c, 33b, 37x, 39x, 39b, 40, 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, 40n, 70x, 83, 102, 105, 127, 129, 142, 230, 237, 238, 239.
The following routes have a limited service: 27x, 37, 38/a, 38c, 39, 41, 41c, 41x, 43, 70/a, 270.