Bus drivers in the island are set to continue industrial action, despite services returning to normal earlier this week following an initial 10-day strike.

Normal operations resumed on Tuesday after drivers from Bus Vannin staged industrial action from Saturday, February 22, until March 3.

The strike involved all ‘big bus’ drivers and led to significantly reduced services, with picket lines established at depots in Douglas, Ramsey and Port Erin.

With the talks stalling, Unite the Union confirmed further walkouts are planned, beginning this Friday until Tuesday, then March 13-17, March 20-24 and March 27-31 – adding a further 20 days of industrial action.

The dispute centres on pay and proposed changes to drivers’ terms and conditions, following months of negotiations.

By the time the Manx Independent went to print, Unite representatives said there has been no communication from Bus Vannin or the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) this week to progress talks.

Bus Vannin says it remains ‘ready and willing to have positive and constructive negotiations with Unite the Union’ and it is ‘committed to finding a fair resolution to the dispute and its six offers remain on the table as a basis for further discussions.’

Last week, the DoI confirmed bus drivers received a 3% pay increase as part of this year’s settlement.

The department said the average Bus Vannin driver earns a median salary of £36,000 per year, though this figure has been challenged by the Isle of Man Trades Union Council (TUC), which argued it does not reflect consolidated or take-home pay.

The TUC said the dispute is about ‘fairness and parity across the board’, pointing to senior management roles, such as Head of Operations Public Transport, which are paid between £76,761 and £89,480, with some six-figure salaries.

During the strike, concerns were also raised about fatigue management under contingency timetables, which at one stage saw services run from 7.05am to 8.15pm with reports of only four drivers operating.

The DoI stressed that Bus Vannin continues to provide a ‘compliant and safe’ service and thanked staff delivering the contingency timetable.