Dublin Bus and Irish Rail workers to ballot for industrial action in support of Bus Éireann strike

The decision came following a meeting to discuss the ongoing Bus Éireann strike at Liberty Hall in Dublin on Monday.

SIPTU representatives in Dublin Bus and Irish Rail have declared their intention to ballot for industrial action in sympathy with and in support of their colleagues in Bus Éireann. A meeting of SIPTU representatives of Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Eireann took place in Liberty Hall on Monday to discuss the ongoing Bus Éireann strike, which has been in effect since late last week. A statement from SIPTU released after the meeting said that representatives were informed of a planned protest in support of the Bus Éireann workers to be held at Leinster House on Wednesday to coincide with a meeting of the Oireachtas transport committee which the Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, is due to attend. https://twitter.com/SIPTU/status/846392882592407552 It was also confirmed that SIPTU members of Dublin Bus and Irish Rail will ballot for industrial action as, in the words of SIPTU Sector Organiser, Willie Noone, “they believe that they are next in the firing line if management in Bus Eireann is allowed to force through cuts to wages and changes to conditions of employment of their staff”. Commenting on today’s meeting, Noone said:

“The representatives agreed that the protest should be supported as it is a means of highlighting the failure of the Minister to take responsibility for the dysfunctional state of the public transport service. We are encouraging members of the public and of the union, including those who work in the public transport sector and are available, to attend the protest. “The meeting also gave a mandate for a ballot for industrial action of union members in Dublin Bus and Irish Rail in sympathy with and in support of their colleagues in Bus Eireann. They believe that they are next in the firing line if management in Bus Eireann is allowed to force through cuts to wages and changes to conditions of employment of their staff.”

This article originally appeared on JOE.ie