DUBLIN, Ireland: Bus Éireann has told the Labour Court that it lost 4.2 million euros in 2024 and expects to lose a similar amount in 2025. Despite this, the Labour Court has recommended a pay increase for the company's 3,200 workers.

The court suggested a combined pay rise of 6.75 percent over two years, ending in December 2026, along with a one-time 500-euro voucher for each worker.

The issue reached the Labour Court after workers, represented by unions including NBRU, SIPTU, UNITE, TSSA, and CONNECT, rejected earlier pay proposals from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). In a vote, 64 percent of workers opposed the offer, while only 36 percent supported it.

The rejected offer proposed a three percent pay raise each year. The unions said this wasn't enough and argued that Bus Éireann workers deserve the same pay increases as other CIE companies and should receive pay equal to Dublin Bus employees. According to the unions, achieving this "pay parity" would require a 12.7 percent pay increase.

Bus Éireann responded by saying that the offer already on the table was the best it could afford. The company described the proposal as fair and realistic given its financial position and the current market conditions. They also said the proposal included improvements to working conditions, which added value equal to about 1 percent of pay each year.

The Labour Court's recommendation includes a 3.5 percent pay increase starting from January 1, 2024, plus a 500-euro voucher for all staff employed on that date. Another 3.25 percent pay rise would begin on January 1, 2026. The 500-euro voucher will be given to workers who are still employed on January 1, 2025, and who remain in the company when the recommendation is accepted.

Labour Court Deputy Chairwoman Louise O'Reilly confirmed that this pay agreement will last until December 31, 2026. She also said that both the company and the unions should begin talks about a new deal at least four months before this one ends.