Three hundred thousand Dublin Bus passengers are set to face major disruption next month as drivers are going on strike for 6 days.

The three 48 hours work stoppages will result in a complete shutdown of Dublin Bus services on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th September, Thursday 15th and Friday 16th September, and Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th September.

It comes after workers rejected a Labour Court recommendation of an 8.2% pay rise over three years. Drivers say they want their salaries in line with Luas workers who negotiated increases of 18% earlier this year.

SIPTU Transport, Energy, Aviation and Construction Division Organiser, Owen Reidy, said: “Our members are engaged in a dispute with management concerning what they believe to be a reasonable and fair pay claim. Workers at the company have not had a pay increase for eight years. During that period, they have suffered reductions in earnings and have co-operated with three comprehensive restructurings of the company.

Dublin Bus says it's extremely disappointed with the announcement.

In a statement it said: "Dublin Bus has accepted the Labour Court Recommendation which provides for a cost of living pay increase for each employee of 2.75% per year for a three year term effective from January 2016 with the final 2.75% payable in January 2018.

Dublin Bus management will now arrange to meet with the joint Trade Union Group to outline the company’s position, to discuss the issues in dispute and to seek a way forward to avert industrial action."