Family schedules all over the country are in turmoil this morning after Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann began a 48-hour strike.
The move comes after talks on plans to put 10 per cent of private bus routes out to private tender collapsed yesterday. A last ditch bid to avoid the strike at the Labour Relations Court yesterday was unsuccessful.
Hundreds of thousands of commuters and students were forced to find alternative transport to work, school, college and childcare providers after pickets were placed on bus depots from midnight last night.
The strike will cost Dublin Bus an estimated €600,000 per day in revenue together with a National Transport Authority (NTA) fine of €150,000 daily. Bus Eireann will lose around €1.5m in revenue and will also be fined approximately €80,000 per day by the NTA.
Both bus companies are said to be considering legal action against SIPTU and the National Bus and Railworkers’ Union.
