Bus worker wildcats spread across Dublin north

The dispute began on Sunday after a driver at the Harristown depot was suspended when he refused to work a new schedule.

The 450 staff at the Harristown depot stopped work in solidarity with the driver before the dispute spread to the Clontarf depot.

At present just two depots are operating (based in South Dublin) with almost all of the North Dublin routes brought to a total standstill.

Dublin Bus recently developed a "Cost Effectiveness Plan" to address their €31 million projected loss for 2009, which included plans to reduce their fleet by 120 buses as well as letting hundreds of workers go.

Unions agreed to the cuts at the Labour Court earlier this month and have distanced themselves from the action.

The companys says it will only enter talks with drivers if they return to work and operate the new schedules.