Long-running strike action by Dublin Bus drivers is at an end after their union accepted a new pay deal that includes an 11.6% pay hike.

Siptu members in all seven grades of workers within Dublin Bus today voted to endorse the pay deal negotiated between union representatives and management at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) last week.

Bus drivers voted by 58% to 42% in favour of the proposals. All other grades voted in favour by majorities of between 70% to 90%.

Siptu’s Owen Reidy said: “This agreement involves an annual pay increase of 11.6% over the next 15 months. SIPTU members have been clear that given the sacrifices made by them during the years of economic recession they were due a decent pay increase.

“This result means the dispute at the company is over and the series of eight scheduled days of work stoppages during October will not now occur.”

However, he had a warning for the Government, saying: “It is evident that further problems will arise in the company as long as the Government and the Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, in particular, fail to substantially increase the subvention for public transport in line with other EU countries.

“Siptu members will continue with the effort to reclaim lost ground and to achieve decent pay increases for workers in the rest of the CIE companies and beyond. In this, we will be building on the achievements of the Luas and Dublin Bus pay deals.”

Minister Ross has welcomed the outcome so far but notes that there are further ballots to take place.