14th November 2014
National Bus & Rail Union Press Release

Re: Privatisation of Bus Routes and LRC talks

The National Bus and Rail Union attended talks today at the Labour Relations Commission for discussions on the privatisation of public bus services by the NTA and the Government.

We have been successful in convincing the NTA to suspend the privatisation process to allow for further discussion on a number of issues that we have constantly raised including pension concerns and workers rights.

The General Secretary Dermot O’Leary Said,
“Although we remain implacably opposed to the privatisation of public bus transport services, we feel obligated, on behalf of the workers and the taxpayer, to bring clarity to all issues at stake. They include our determination to explain the fact that the London Model, which the NTA intend to replicate, will place an extra financial burden on the exchequer and precipitate a race to the bottom in workers terms and conditions”.

Mr O’Leary went on to say,
“We will be engaging with the companies and the NTA in December to explore any market expansion possibilities and any potential relationship with the privatisation of 10% of bus routes