Minister defends department stance

The Community, Culture and Leisure Minister Graham Cregeen says sending some bus drivers home after last week’s strike ended was part of his department’s contingency plan.

The half-day of action ended at 6pm last Thursday – but many drivers who’d walked out over terms and conditions were later told they weren’t needed.

Mr Cregeen says staff were brought in to cover the strikers at 5.30pm.

And he says the department simply didn’t need many of the drivers who later returned to work.