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Bus driving jobs 'under threat' 'No threat' of major bus lay-offs
(41 minutes later)
Public transport firm Translink is expected to announce a "huge redundancy programme" among bus drivers in the New Year, trades union Unite has said. There is no danger of hundreds of redundancies at public transport firm Translink, the Department of Regional Development has said.
It said it was expecting cuts in bus driver jobs with provincial town and city services being slashed. It follows union Unite saying it expected a "huge redundancy programme" among bus drivers in the New Year.
The DRD said Translink will be drawing up its new corporate plan for the next three years.
"That plan will be discussed... but there is no reason to suggest hundreds of jobs are at risk," the DRD said.
In a statement Translink said "due to the current financial pressures" across the economy it was keeping "all matters under review".In a statement Translink said "due to the current financial pressures" across the economy it was keeping "all matters under review".
It said it would have more talks with the unions in the New Year. It said it would have more talks with unions in the New Year.
Sean Smyth, Unite Regional Industrial Organiser responsible for Ulsterbus and Metro bus drivers, said: "The management is not offering consultation just a fait accompli. Denials
"Bus services throughout the country, town and outlying Belfast city areas, are to be severely cut and hundreds of drivers could lose their jobs." Sean Smyth, Unite Regional Industrial Organiser responsible for Ulsterbus and Metro bus drivers, said they were expecting cuts in bus driver.
"Bus services throughout the country, town and outlying Belfast city areas, are to be severely cut and hundreds of drivers could lose their jobs," he said.
He said jobs could be lost if Translink did not win the tender to run the planned rapid transit system for Belfast and if school bus services were also privatised.
However, the DRD said there was "no assumption being made that the system will be provided by a private operator rather than by Translink".
In a statement the Department of Education said it currently did not have "any plans to privatise school bus services."