Dublin Bus Drivers picket outside Summer Hill Dublin Bus Depot in Dublin on Saturday.

Dublin Bus Drivers picket outside Summer Hill Dublin Bus Depot in Dublin on Saturday.

OVER HALF OF people don’t support the Dublin Bus drivers’ strike action, according to the results of a new poll.

A poll conducted by RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live and Amárach Research has found that 54% of people don’t support the drivers.

The question posed to 1,000 people was:

Do you support the Dublin bus drivers’ industrial action for a pay increase of 15 per cent over the next three years?

54% said No

36% said Yes

10% said Don’t know

It was announced earlier today that 48 hours of stoppages that were due to begin tonight would not be going ahead.

Both sides attended exploratory talks today at the Workplace Relation Commission, with the unions agreeing to call off the strikes tomorrow and Wednesday in order to properly facilitate more talks.

However, a stoppage is still scheduled for this coming Saturday – the day of the All-Ireland Football Final replay.

The dispute between both sides centres on pay, with Dublin Bus workers seeking a 15% pay increase over the next three years and a 6% rise they say they were due to get under an agreement in 2009, but which was deferred.

Unions last month rejected a Labour Court-recommended 8.25% increase over the next three years.

The company says that the strikes have already cost it €4 million and “continues to impact the financial stability of the company”.