A threatened strike by hundreds of school bus drivers has been deferred for week by Siptu which has called for further talks.
Talks between the union and Bus Eireann over pay and working conditions got under way at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) yesterday in an effort to avert the strike.
In a statement this afternoon, Siptu said it had agreed to put off the strike and sought further negotiations. The strike was set to affect an estimated 14,000 school children.
Siptu said the part-time drivers remain the lowest paid employees in either the education or transport sectors. It says over 200 part-time school bus drivers earn €11.66 per hour and have no pension entitlements, sick pay or other benefits.
Siptu national industrial secretary, Michael Halpenny has said the current pay rate for school bus drivers did not reflect the professionalism and demands of the job.
He said wages were so low, that even if such part-time drivers were allowed work a 39 hour week, many of them would require family income supplement to support their families.
Bus Éireann, however, says the issue has already been raised at the LRC and was rejected by the Labour Court, but insists the company is willing to discuss the matter again.
Siptu says it has been campaigning on behalf of school bus drivers for the past five years and its threatened strike action was a "last resort".