In 1993, the Labour Court recommended that Dublin Bus limit its new IMP minibuses to 150 through 31 December 1999, following an all-out stoppage over changes in the Cabra area. The recommendation, concerning Dublin Bus and the National Bus and Rail Union and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union, was dated 15 October 1993.
The dispute followed the Sector 7 Network Review. The unions and company reached an interim settlement, sending outstanding issues to the Court, including displaced staff, severance, staffing levels and minibus pay. The Court recommended accepting the company’s proposals on displaced staff and voluntary severance, with the service requirement for severance reduced to 25 years.
It recommended a staff ratio of 1.5:1, to be monitored for 12 months and reviewed afterward. The current minibus-driver pay rates were to be accepted on the basis that minibus drivers could fill vacancies among large-capacity bus drivers. The Court also recommended consolidating the one-person-operation bonus once its other recommendations were accepted, and establishing a monitoring procedure for the changes.