Trade 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.

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’.

In a statement 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 8 July 2020 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.

’The majority of those drivers whom received this offer, today submit a claim to the EET for a determination that such an offer was indeed unlawful and that as a consequence the bus drivers should receive statutory compensation.

’UNITE have throughout the collective bargaining process remained, and will always remain, open to negotiations with Bus Vannin.

'However this attempt by Bus Vannin to frustrate this process by simply ignoring their agreement to collectively bargain and approaching the bus drivers directly only seeks to frustrate and prolong these negotiations.

'It is hoped that by us taking this action Bus Vannin will reconsider and no longer seek to frustrate this process and will resume negotiations which had been ongoing since January 2020 but which Bus Vannin has sought at various stages to walk away from, the latest excuse being as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.’

â?¢ We have contacted Bus Vannin’s sponsoring department, the DoI for a response.