The Department of Infrastructure will defend itself against claims of unlawful activity.

Union Unite has filed formal complaint forms on behalf of its members to the Employment and Equality Tribunal.

The union said it comes after Bus Vannin wrote directly to the bus drivers on July 8 making an offer to amend the terms of their employment, which had been agreed by way of collective bargaining in October 2019.

However, while admitting the department did make an offer directly to staff, a spokesman said it has not asked Unite the Union or any of its members to leave the collective bargaining arrangements’.

He added: ’It allowed staff the option to voluntarily change their terms and conditions, through the auspices of the Manx Industrial Relations Service.

’Those volunteers remain under the same collective bargaining arrangements as before.

’The department has to make significant long-term savings to the cost of providing bus services. The department has been trying for many months to secure union agreement to savings options that do not require either redundancies or loss of services, but could not find any solution that was acceptable to the union.

’The department will robustly defend any claims that are submitted to the tribunal.’

Unite regional officer Debbie Halsall said Bus Vannin’s actions are ’a matter which goes right to the heart of trade union recognition and the rights of workers to collectively bargain’.

She added: ’We contend that by making this offer, Bus Vannin has sought to bypass the negotiations with the bus drivers’ recognised trade union, Unite in an attempt to divide members.

’It is Unite’s position that this letter of July 8 amounted to an unlawful inducement which will have the prohibited result of any of the drivers’ terms of employment no longer being determined by collective agreement negotiated by Unite, contrary to section 30 of the Employment Act 2006.