The National Bus and Railworkers' Union has called on the Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan, to reform the private bus licensing system.
The union executive meets tomorrow morning to decide whether to take industrial action over the department's granting of licences to a private operator while talks on the future of CIÉ were still continuing.
At present, private operators can apply for and acquire bus route licences without competitive tendering for €7.62.
The union has described the system as grossly unfair, and has called on the minister to introduce a new statutory instrument to regularise the system. It wants any new system to require tendering, realistic licence fees, and to allow licences to be refused where Bus Éireann or Dublin Bus already provides a service.
The NBRU also wants to make it a condition that workers should have decent pay conditions and the right to union representation.
The union has also written to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. It is objecting to the BCI's instruction to independent radio stations yesterday not to broadcast the union's statement on its dispute with the minister over private bus licences in light of today's elections.
The union wants to know who asked the BCI to intervene, and described the action as a gross infringement of civil liberties and tantamount to a gagging order.
