Minister backs essential service status for buses

"I believe it is important for bus users to get as much notice as possible if the bus service is not available for any reason.

 

"Having the bus service recognised by Unite the union as an 'essential service' means that they agree to give 20 days notice of any industrial action they might take. This will give members of the public, particularly vulnerable people who rely on the service, time to make alternative plans, for example reorganising medical appointments or finding friends to provide lifts for children.

 

"LibertyBus and Unite have already taken a step towards Union recognition and the next point for negotiation in this process is the status of the service as 'essential'. I sincerely hope that discussions will take account of the importance of the service to the public and that agreement can be reached and in future 20 days rather than the usual 7 days will be the notice period. This would show respect to the public who would be severely affected by a dispute that is nothing to do with them.

 

"'Essential service' status is purely about the length of notice period given and nothing to do with stopping or limiting industrial action.

 

"The Island’s bus service is essential to the economic well-being of the Island. It allows people to get to work, to get their children to school and helps key industry sectors to ensure that their staff can deliver essential services. In addition, many older people are entirely reliant on buses for access to shops for food, health appointments and visits to family and friends. With an aging population this reliance is likely to grow, increasing the service's importance.

 

"I know that when strike action has been taken in the past, bus users have found it difficult to make alternative arrangements and there were quite a number of people who, despite the publicity, had not heard that there would be no buses.  It seems reasonable to me that 20 days notice should be given in future."