DoI Now ‘Won’t Sit Down With Us’, Says Union

Right then, bus strike update.

Unite says the Department of Infrastructure and Bus Vannin now ‘won’t sit down and talk’ as the walkout is into day seven.

All the ‘big bus’ drivers have been out since Saturday, with picket lines up in Ramsey, Douglas and Port Erin from 4am on day one.

Things could rumble on too, another 20 strike days are lined up across March if no deal is reached.

Unite’s Debbie Halsall says government has ‘brought the island to its knees’ and claims no one’s been in touch to fix it, with radio silence towards the back end of this week.

The DoI says drivers received a 3% pay rise this year and that the median salary is £36,000.

The Isle of Man Trades Union Council says that headline figure is pre-tax and ‘doesn’t tell the full story’.

Meanwhile, contingency buses are running (Unite claims only four drivers are out today), the DoI insists services are ‘compliant and safe’, and the timetable tweaks continue, with core routes and Noble’s Hospital links maintained.

As ever, it’s wait-and-see… but there’s still no sign of this ending.

How have you been impacted? Do you know anyone who’s gone above and beyond that we should be highlighting? How and when do you see this being resolved?

Do get in touch with us at hello@gef.im.