Talks continue to end bus strike

Bus drivers are angry over policy on attacks

Talks are continuing to try to end the strike by Citybus drivers in Belfast which has spread to other services.

Ulsterbus routes along the Falls and Lisburn Roads, including the Twinbrook and Poleglass estates have also been affected by the second day of unofficial strike action on Friday.

Drivers rejected proposals from management to resolve the issue of financial support for staff who have been assaulted or threatened.

Driver Sean Smith, who has been attacked five times in the past 18 months, said his colleagues were angry at the way the company was treating men like him.

The company's response was they were paying for my treatment so I could go for it in my own time

Sean Smith
Citybus driver

"The last time I was attacked was 23 October in the city centre of Belfast when a drunk tried to hijack the bus," he said.

"I defended the bus because I was afraid of the damage he would do.

"As part of my rehabilitation I had to go and see a counsellor about getting treated for stress and trauma.

"I was to go to the counsellor on 4 December at 10.30 in the morning. I needed off my bus for one hour to go and the company's response was 'we're paying for your treatment so you can go in your own time."

Shop stewards said the drivers had put their own proposals to management and that strike action would continue while they waited for a response.

'Severe disruption'

It is the second day of inconvenience for passengers, but union leaders said the public had been largely supportive.

Shop steward Craig Potts said: "We don't want to force the situation onto the passengers because actually passengers pay our wages.

Ciaran Rogan: Confident issues can be sorted out

"We hope they understand that the drivers are very angry over certain issues within the company.

"We are trying our hardest as a trade union to get this action finalised, to get the buses running again and to get the shoppers in to do their new year's shopping."

Drivers staged a walkout on Thursday, saying they were unhappy with the way Translink had handled recent attacks on staff and their vehicles.

Ciaran Rogan of Translink, the company that runs Citybus, said it was in everyone's interest that the strike was ended as quickly as possible.

He added it had caused severe disruption on one of the busiest shopping days of the year and that another meeting between unions and management was planned for later on Friday.

Bus services in some parts of the city were rerouted earlier this month after two drivers were robbed at knife point.