Unite union leader Eric Holmes says he hopes that management will get back around the table to resolve the bus drivers’ dispute.

He described last week’s work to rule as a success and insisted that the drivers had the support of visitors and the Manx public.

And he claimed the action had highlighted a shortage of drivers to operate the timetabled service.

Bus Vannin drivers organised the work to rule in protest at plans to cut back, or even withdraw altogether, holiday entitlement in TT fortnight.

It meant that staff worked only their contractual hours and not any overtime.

Mr Holmes said: ’The dispute went well - it disrupted management who had to utilise zero hour contract holders, inspectors and management to cover duties which broke into what would have been over time.

’There are insufficient staff for the amount of service runs in the timetable despite the fact that school runs weren’t required.

’I hope that management will get back around the table and that this time the chief executive tells his director "no".’

Mr Holmes claimed that the union’s driver representatives and chief executive Nick Black nearly reached agreement a number of times - but it had been rejected by the director of public transport Ian Longworth.

He said: ’The drivers were 100% in the dispute and were able to speak directly to the passengers to explain their side of the dispute and to confirm that they had no intention of causing mass disruption to services. The public and visitors were behind the drivers.’

Asked if there would be further working to rule or even a ballot for strike action, Mr Holmes replied: ’The drivers will decide what happens next and whether or not an escalation is needed.’

Bus drivers last took industrial action in 2013 when they went on strike in a long-running dispute over changes to their contracts.

Last week’s five-day work to rule ended at midnight on Friday.

Bus Vannin management said that as the number of drivers has fallen from 110 in 2012 to 92 today, the number on holiday in any one week needs to be cut too - and £100,000 can be saved by reducing holiday cover by two full time drivers.

Its offer was to reduce the number on holiday during TT to six and change the working agreement to spread leave throughout the year by allocating holidays before October.

This went to ballot and was unanimously rejected by the drivers. The DoI said it was disappointed its proposals on bus drivers’ holiday entitlement had been rejected and had worked to ensure bus services operated as normal.