The dispute involving Dublin Bus drivers appears to have worsened this evening after drivers decided not to operate two new routes proposed by the company.
Drivers decided not to operate the cross-city routes from Monday morning following a meeting this afternoon.
A union spokesman said after the meeting that if drivers were suspended for not driving the routes then the garage at Harristown would be forced to close and the dispute would escalate.
The two new routes, the numbers 4A and the 128, will run across the city from Ballymun to Blackrock and from Clongriffin to Rathmines.
Drivers say the new rosters will mean they have to start, finish and take their breaks in the city centre rather than at the central depot in Harristown. They say this will prolong their working day.
But Dublin Bus says the new rosters will be operated by junior drivers and they have the backing of the Labour Court.
Last night around 500 drivers from the National Bus and Railworkers Union and SIPTU voted in favour of industrial action.
