A press release issued by the union Prospect says Bus Inspectors and Depot Supervisors took one step closer to industrial action, this week, in their ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. The workers, all members of Prospect, have been involved in talks extending over a year, and which affect their basic entitlements to shift enhancements and other benefits.

Members of Prospect were balloted on industrial action, both short of and up to strike action and the result is a vote in favour of both. Any subsequent strike action would be the first for over 20 years on the island.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Prospect Negotiations Officer Angela Moffatt said:

“We now have a mandate from members to escalate if required – and make no mistake if we have to we will. 

No one is more disappointed than us that it’s coming to this – but we are in an utterly bizarre situation. The Government budget would have us believe that the public sector is cash strapped. Prospect come up with real ways of decreasing expenditure FOR management - with a view to steadily increasing that in the long term after full public consultation on bus services as part of the planned review – and there’s no response. If someone could save me money I’d bite their hand off.

The fact is DTL have been under budgeting for years in this area – now that’s coming out they’re trying quick fixes which are fair on no one – least of all the public, when services start to suffer.

We are trying to keep the dialogue going, and engage in a process that meets everyone’s needs. However, there’s still nothing coming back in any timely way. To be fair, the political member Graham Cregeen has responded in a fast and positive way to the escalation of this issue – but it’s not just an issue one person can resolve.

The view does seem to be that we’re asking for more money for the same work – a gross oversimplification of the issue. But I’d ask this – how can the Government reconcile that position with for example, the Chair of the Civil Service Commission. He retains his 40% plussage of basic salary but now has less work to do given he’s no longer Chair of the Whitley Council. How come a political member gets paid to do less, but our members have to fight to even have their views considered? It’s completely hypocritical.”

Prospect expect to notify industrial action within the next few weeks if no solutions can be found to the current impasse.