The beginning of a new era in public transport dawns today, but is clouded by bus drivers threatening to strike if their promised working hours are not respected.

Bus drivers are refusing to work the proposed shifts in spite of an agreement reached between the General Workers’ Union, which represents 480 bus drivers, and the new transport operator Arriva last Friday. Without the backing of their union and ignoring the Transport Minister’s strong words that “bullies” do not deserve to form part of the new service, bus drivers are expected to congregate at 5 a.m. today, with their uniforms in a plastic bag, to stop the new fleet from taking off.

The situation erupted at around 1 p.m. yesterday when more than 300 drivers turned up to collect their roster from the main office at Floriana’s park-and-ride and discovered it was not to their liking.

Waving scraps of paper with a handwritten timetable of their week that Arriva had just handed them, they expressed their fury and dismay that despite signing an agreement to work a straight eight-hour shift, they were presented with an “unacceptable” roster.

They insisted drivers had never agreed to work a split shift that, for example, runs from 11 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. with a four-hour break in between. All they wanted was to work a straight eight-hour shift that would allow them to better organise their day and did not disrupt their family and social life.

Twanny Cassar, who was chosen by those present to speak on their behalf, insisted the GWU had failed to inform them of the agreement reached with Arriva and it had forged ahead without consulting them, something the union denies.

Mr Cassar said: “We had agreed with the union that unless we get the eight-hour shift we will not work on Sunday. We are united and irrespective of whether the union backs us or not, we will strike. We want to work, but give us what we deserve,” he said.

Attempts were made between the bus drivers and management to resolve the situation, but after a lot of banging and screaming they were no closer to a solution.

Mr Cassar said the only way drivers would agree to work a split shift was if they were paid €350 a week and not the paltry €245 a week they were being offered.

Last Friday the GWU agreed with Arriva that the bus drivers would work a split shift, and in turn secured a compensation of €35 if this extended beyond 12 hours.

It yesterday stood by this agreement, which it felt was “acceptable and very good in the circumstances”. It said this roster would change within two weeks and appealed to the drivers to report to work today and not to allow anybody to threaten their future with Arriva.

Arriva managing director Keith Bastow said in a statement that the rosters were temporary. Although he admitted “they do contain slightly more split shifts than anticipated”, Arriva was committed to revising them in the coming weeks.

Mr Bastow said employees’ views were important to Arriva and he hoped drivers would realise the proposed roster was a fair and a “very short-term” solution.

“Arriva has received no formal intention of action... and all employees are expected to report for duty as rostered,” he urged.

But nothing is appeasing the drivers, who feel cheated.

“We were told that if we don’t like it we can return our uniform and leave. But we will fight this and if not we will go and register (for work, at the unemployment office). We cannot stand by and be ridiculed,” he said to loud cheers from fellow drivers.

The tactics failed to impress Transport Minister Austin Gatt who matched their rhetoric during last night’s ceremony in Valletta to usher in the anticipated bus reform.

“The days when you dictated what happened in public transport are over. From tomorrow (today) a new service starts with new conditions. Those who don’t like these conditions can choose not to not turn up for work and I hope they will be fired,” he said.

Having watched the drivers’ threats on timesofmalta.com, Dr Gatt said it would have been too much to expect the changeover to be smooth.

“All we needed was to see the two bullies who appeared on the internet to remind us of the ugly past. The time (for) foolery is up... The government may no longer be directly involved, but we will not permit a situation where those who want to work – under conditions agreed upon between Arriva and the GWU – are hindered from doing their job,” he said.

Shrugging off this issue, Dr Gatt said today started the biggest challenge; a reform that the government had been working on for three years and invested €10 million in. He said the reform should bring an end to the excuses that people did not use the buses because they were uncomfortable, that they did not know the timetable or that the service ended too early.

“We know not everything will be perfect and we will always have to adjust, but we also know there will be those who will nitpick and find excuses to criticise or complain,” he said.

“I don’t wish to be negative. I am heartened that we will see people use the service after an absence of years... I augur that drivers will believe this is a permanent revolution that will succeed.”

The bus reform in figures

• The government will be saving at least €50 million in subsidies pumped into changing the fleet and operations over a 10-year period.

• Arriva is investing €45 million in the transport network in Malta and employing close to 1,000 people over 10 years.

• Twenty kilometres of pavements and 120,000 square metres of paving had to be completed for the new service.

• Between them the projects required nine planning permits that each took an average of 480 days to be processed by the planning authority.

• Ninety new bus shelters were erected.

• More than 100 electronic information signs were set up.

• Thirty ticket machines were installed.

• A total of 1,800 bus stops were put up, each providing information.

• A fleet of 186 new buses coming out of the factory will start operating.

• There will be another 80 buses that have already been in service for a few years, but which have been refurbished following 14,000 hours of work.

• Bus drivers received more than 50,000 hours of training between them.

• All buses have been certified Euro V, which is the highest environmental level possible.