The National Bus and Rail Union has lodged a pay claim for increases between 6 and 13% on behalf of drivers at Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann.
In a letter to Dublin Bus, NBRU General Secretary Dermot O'Leary outlines the frustration of drivers who have taken pay cuts and have had no increases for eight years.
He says the union is now claiming payment of the 6% due under the Towards 2016 agreement which was never paid due to the economic crisis.
Mr O'Leary stated in Ministerial Briefing Notes to the incoming Transport Minister in 2011, senior civil servants had stated non-payment of the 6% was calculated at being worth 13% in reality: 5% for the period 2008 to 2011 and a further 8% in the period 2012 to 2016.
The drivers want all elements of their pay to be reckonable for pension purpose and they want parity with their tram-driver counterparts working on the Luas.
Mr O'Leary said: "Having taken the pain of cuts throughout the austerity years it is now long since past time that bus drivers were given due recognition in terms of pay.
"Our members are becoming increasingly angry that their pay and conditions have fallen behind those of their Luas counterparts, what is particularly galling for Bus drivers is the fact that both modes of transport are funded by the public purse.
"Eight years without a pay rise is something bus workers are no longer prepared to tolerate,” he added.
Mr O'Leary says "Joe Public" often associates Dublin Bus with being a State job which attracts all of the benefits - such as they are - which some in the public sector are alleged to enjoy.
He points out that his members are classed as private-sector workers, and in some cases a bus driver could come out with a pension of €125 a week after 40 years of contributions to their pension fund.
He says the association with the State arises from the necessity for Exchequer support to provide non-profitable bus routes.
He notes that both the Luas and Dublin Bus are supported by the public purse, with the Luas carrying around 90,000 passengers daily and Dublin Bus over 330,000.
He also cited economic analysis suggesting that for every €1 paid in fares, Irish Rail and Luas passengers get a subsidy of €1,55 and €2.88 respectively.
However, for every €1 paid to Bus Éireann, the State subsidy is just €0.13.
Differences in terms and conditions
The NBRU has also highlighted where Luas terms and conditions exceed those at the bus companies - including bonuses, wedding leave and compassionate leave.
It notes that pensionable pay for Luas drivers for a 39-hour week at the top of the scale is E42,247.
It says the equivalent at Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann is E32,547, and at Irish Rail it is E44,700.
It notes that Luas drivers can get a bonus of 6.5% of salary, while the maximum potential bonus at Bus Eireann is 0.77%, and at Dublin Bus it is 1.54%. There are no bonuses at Irish Rail.
The NBRU points out that Luas drivers at the top of their scale get 24 days annual leave compared to 23 at the CIÉ transport companies.
Among other benefits they note that Luas drivers are entitled to three days wedding leave, while CIÉ group employees get none.
Luas employees may also take five days compassionate leave while the CIÉ workers get three.
The NBRU says Luas drivers also do better in terms of Death in Service Benefit, Income Continuance, the Welfare Scheme, Occupational benefit and Spouse/Pension entitlements.
A Bus Éireann spokeswoman said the company had noted the NBRU letter - and as it outlines - will be available to discuss the matters raised at the WRC later this month.
Meanwhile, Luas drivers are due to hold two two-day strikes on 11-12 and 18 and 19 February.
They will also commence a work-to-rule on Saturday 6 February, though as yet its unclear whether that will cause disruption to passengers.
Luas employer Transdev has warned staff that if they take any form of industrial action, they will lose their bonuses worth 6.5%.
