A third round of strike action by bus drivers is now underway as negotiations between the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) and Unite the Union remain unresolved.

Both sides are scheduled to meet with the Manx Industrial Relations Service (MIRS) this morning (Friday) in a bid to continue discussions and attempt to break the deadlock.

Speaking in the House of Keys earlier this week, the DoI’s political member Joney Faragher said the two sides remain ‘a long way apart’ in negotiations over pay and terms and conditions.

Ms Faragher provided the update during Tuesday’s sitting while standing in for Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall, who was unwell.

She confirmed that talks facilitated by MIRS are ongoing but acknowledged there has so far been little progress towards an agreement.

Government revealed earlier this week that a further pay offer was made at the end of last week, which it said would provide drivers with an average of £1,180 on top of the standard pay award, roughly a seven per cent increase this year.

The operator has insisted it has attended all scheduled negotiations and ‘has not imposed any preconditions on participation’.

The dispute centres on proposed changes to bus drivers’ terms and conditions following a three per cent pay award earlier this year.

Ms Faragher told members that while ‘one bus drivers contract is available to new bus drivers’, there are also ‘two legacy contracts with longer serving drivers that the DoI continues to honour’.

She also rejected claims that the department treats the bus service as a profit centre.

‘My position is that it’s a public service,’ she said.

‘It is subsidised by the taxpayer to round about 50%, which is completely aligned with it being a public service.’

Addressing the possibility of binding arbitration, Ms Faragher said it ‘is not something that’s being considered’, although she added that ‘that doesn’t mean that it won’t be in future’.

The latest phase of strike action began early today following the end of the second round earlier this week.

Industrial action began with a 10-day walkout between February 22 and March 3, which caused widespread disruption to services across the island.

A second round of strikes then ran from last Friday until early Tuesday, affecting weekend operations and leading the operator to run a limited timetable with no school bus services.

Unite has already confirmed further strike dates from March 13-17, March 20-24 and March 27-31, meaning disruption could continue over the next three weekends unless an agreement is reached.

Debbie Halsall, Unite’s regional officer on the Isle of Man, said the union had been ‘stonewalled’ by the department during negotiations.

Meanwhile, one of the island’s largest taxi firms, Elegance Taxis, told Isle of Man Today it has seen an almost 40% increase in demand during the strike action.

Ms Faragher said the department remains committed to finding a ‘fair and sustainable solution’ for both drivers and the public.

She added that contingency plans are in place to maintain core services, particularly routes serving hospitals and those linking towns, with passengers kept informed through the Bus Vannin website, social media channels and the Find My Bus app.