Strike hits Tipperary’s bus services

An all out strike by got underway this morning as they are refusing to work under the threat of pay cuts which bosses claim they have to enforce to secure the future of the company.

The X7 Clonmel to Dublin bus service is the first route being axed under the cost cutting measures being proposed by Bus Éireann management – its set to end on April 2nd next.

Efforts have been underway for several months to agree cost saving measures with unions. However talks have collapsed on a number of occasions and drivers say they've been backed into a corner. 

Drivers on the picket line in Clonmel say they won’t stand for the cuts.

Chief Commercial Officer of Bus Éireann, Stephen Kent, says they're in serious financial trouble and multi-million euro worth of cuts need to be made. 

There are 13 drivers based in Clonmel – they say they're facing a very uncertain future under the company's cost cutting plans.

They say the options would appear to be redundancy or transfers to Waterford, Cork or Wexford.

The Transport Minister's refusal to get involved in the dispute has come in for criticism from Bus Éireann workers. Drivers in Clonmel were also critical of local politicians in particular questioning Deputy Mattie McGraths focus on wearing an Irish Cancer Society daffodil in the Dail rather than standing alongside them on the picket line.

The dispute has also had a severe impact on train services that serve Tipperary – there are no services operating on the Limerick to Limerick Junction route including Limerick to Dublin direct services, the Waterford to Limerick junction or Limerick to Ballybrophy via Nenagh.