SIPTU and NBRU members at Dublin Bus have rejected a Labour Court recommendation on pay and conditions.

Employees voted overwhelmingly to reject the proposal of an 8.25% pay rise over the next three years. 

They had sought increases of up to 31% cent to bring them into line with LUAS drivers and to reflect the fact that they haven't had a pay increase since 2008.

NBRU members showed their anger at the proposals put to them, by a margin of 95% against.

SIPTU members in the Traffic Grade, which includes bus drivers, voted by 96% to 4% to reject the recommendation, while their colleagues in the Clerical Grade voted voted to reject it by 95% to 5%.

Members in the remaining grades at the company are currently being balloted by SIPTU on the recommendation, with the result of those votes to be announced next week.

SIPTU's John Murphy said the members expressed 'anger' at the proposals presented by the Labour Court.

"These workers have not had a pay increase since 2008. They deferred a pay increase of 6% due in 2009 and since then have also implemented several measures that have increased productivity and reduced costs for the company."

He added that while they are willing to engage with management, workers feel that the Labour Court recommendation does not take into account sacrifices made by staff in recent years.

NBRU General Secretary Dermot O'Leary said: "Our claim for pay parity with Tram drivers remains front and centre as part of our goal towards significantly improving the terms and conditions of Bus Workers.

"We had hoped that the Labour Court would have assisted towards realising this objective by at least recommending the same quantum which was awarded to resolve the recent Transdev dispute."