There are remarkable similarities between the outcome of the LRC talks in Dublin and the cancelled Bus strike in the North.

In both cases the privatisation process is to go ahead. In both cases the union leaderships declared victory based on assurances from employers - assurances that amount to little more  than that there would be no compulsory redundancies.

There is no surprise here.  The LRC, in line with long - standing practice, declared at the start of negotiations that their purpose was not to negotiate privatisation, but to make the unions happy with the process.

That wasn't difficult. Privatisation has been accepted by the unions and is part of the Troika programme they helped to enforce. Bus workers recently had to vote half a dozen times until they agreed cuts the bureaucrats had accepted. The agreement this time was speeded up by threats from employers to sue them for damages.

The union bosses have made a disastrous deal. Dublin bus can join in the tendering process. That means speedup and job cuts - privatisation by the back door.

The interests of workers and of the travelling public can only be protected when they organise independently and demand public transport as a resource for all rather than a commodity for bondholders.