130 CITY BUS WORKERS TO LOSE JOBS?
AT LEAST 130 staff at Cardiff Bus have been told that their jobs could be at risk. More than 20% of the 700 employees at the council-owned firm face redundancy after having been told by letter that cuts are needed to ensure it stays viable in the wake of coronavirus.
A consultation process into the downsizing was started last week and discussions with both staff and the unions are ongoing.
According to reports, a letter sent to staff said the firm was still feeling the effects of Covid-19 and was likely to for “some time to come”.
Workers were told that “challenging changes” were needed to secure the future of Cardiff Bus.
The end of the UK government’s furlough scheme in October and the huge impact the pandemic had – and continues to have – on passenger numbers were both cited as the reason for the proposed cuts.
Earlier this year, Cardiff Bus – which served about 100,00 passengers a week, pre-Covid – announced it was to start running a reduced timetable across the majority of its service throughout the week because of the outbreak, following on from official advice given on non-essential travel in an attempt to tackle the rising infection rate.
From the start of this month, however, a number of the operator’s services were reintroduced as travel restrictions were eased.
A spokeswoman for Cardiff Bus said: “Like all responsible businesses, we’re constantly assessing how we can remain fit for the future.
“We are currently entering into a period of discussions with staff and their unions about possible options for reshaping and modernising our company for the future.”