The Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communication has said that the Public Transport Association (ATP) has delivered an ultimatum to the government saying they will take industrial action unless bus owners are paid their subsidies for the period of the July strike.

The Ministry said that an agreement exists between the government and the ATP to guarantee a minimum income to bus owners, so that when commuters decrease, the subsidy paid by the government rises.

The ATP was expecting this subsidy to be paid for the time the bus owners were on strike during July 2008, the Ministry said.

During the discussions held to end the strike, the ATP had requested that the government continue the subsidy of the buses during the strike, a request which the government deemed to be unacceptable.

The matter was then taken to the Arbitration Centre, the Ministry said that while it will respect the Arbitration Centre decision it will not stand for any form of blackmail.

Permalink: Bus drivers threaten to strike over unpaid subsidies during June strike