National News

Translink Minister meets with trade unions on transport issues

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy met with trade union representatives today to discuss a range of issues.

Discussions included the Translink budget for the forthcoming financial year, the implication of EU regulations on transport arrangements going forward and traffic management issues in Belfast.

In a joint statement, Peter Bunting, the Assistant General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), other union officials and Minister Murphy welcomed the discussions held between Translink and union representatives earlier this month and the assurances given that the number of job losses would be kept to a minimum (no more than 75 jobs acoss all Translink subsidary companies) and will not involve compulsory redundancies.

The Minister also welcomed next year's plans from Translink which will protect fare paying passengers and maintain the current service network.

In wide ranging discussions, the Minister set out his current plans and provided assurances that union concerns would be considered. It was emphasised there are no plans to change the status of Translink as a public body which integrates rail and bus services.

It was agreed that the overriding aim should be to build on the success of recent times in increasing the numbers using public transport and that this was a challenge that both parties would actively address.

Manuel Cortes Assistant General Secretary

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