THE date of the next bus strike has been annnounced.
A half-day stoppage, between 1pm and 6pm, will take place next Thursday (January 17).
The Unite union gave formal notification of the strike date to the Department of Community Culture and Leisure today.
It’s the latest move in a long-running dispute over changes to Bus Vannin drivers’ terms and conditions, including the loss of paid lunch breaks. Unite says drivers stand to lose up to £3,000 from their pay packets.
The first strike took place on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Christmas. Trains and trams were operated as part of a contingency plan.
Unite national officer for passenger transport, Bobby Morton, said: ‘It is with great sadness that plans for a new wave of strike action are being put in place today, particularly when there is a logical common sense way to end this protracted dispute.
‘I appeal yet again to Nick Black, the department’s chief executive and the DCCL to refer this matter to a third party for binding arbitration. This would be the fairest way to resolve the problem and avoid triggering further disruption to the general public on the Isle of Man.’