Labour Court recommends talks on 39-hour week for 645 Bus Eireann drivers

The Labour Court recommended that Bus Eireann, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (CIE Trade Union Group) and the National Bus and Rail Union seek agreement on introducing a 39-hour week for 645 drivers and finish discussions within four weeks. The recommendation was signed on 11 July 1994. The unions sought a continuing payment equivalent to one hour’s overtime each week for drivers and conductors on non-city services. The Court said overtime was not intended as a long-term solution and that the shorter week should meet the framework agreement’s aims and benefit workers. If agreement was reached, workers were to receive the equivalent of one hour’s overtime per week for six months at overtime rates. If talks failed, the Court would review them and issue a definitive recommendation.