Minister Bausch Assures No Job Cuts Planned for TICE Bus Drivers

Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Mobility and Public Works, François Bausch, has issued a statement in response to staff concerns at the TICE bus network.

Minister Bausch noted that the president of the TICE union staff delegation had informed staff on Tuesday 11 July 2023 of negotiations within the framework of an agreement concerning the financial participation of the state for the operation of certain public transport services by road. The news that the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works would no longer subsidise particular bus routes run by TICE beyond 2024 led to concerns among employees.

Minister Bausch clarified that a delegation from his ministry and the Public Transport Administration had met the union's political representatives three times since December 2022. He described the negotiations as "very constructive". He added that he had also met with OGBL union representatives in April 2023.

According to Minister Bausch, the Luxembourg Government and the TICE agreed that the south of the country is "changing" and that "public transport must take this metamorphosis into account". He cited the example of increasing demand for mobility in southern Luxembourg among cross-border workers.

The minister added that analyses of the 2035 national mobility plan foresaw an additional 70,000 journeys (to be provided by CFL, RGTR, Luxtram and TICE) per working day in southern Luxembourg by 2035. As such, the public transport offer "must change significantly in the years to come in order to best meet the mobility demands of the future". Minister Bausch added that this would mean "a massive increase in bus services" in the region, which also requires changes to the bus network and "a new distribution of tasks" between TICE and RGTR.

Minister Bausch reiterated that this network reorganisation poses no threat to jobs at TICE. On the contrary, he emphasised, TICE will "play a key role in serving the neighbourhoods within the localities and linking them to major hubs" in future.

The transport minister also recalled that the current agreement was already set to end, "as it referred to RGTR contracts which are no longer in effect". He added that he had informed TICE of the need to end this agreement back in November 2022, which resulted in discussions aimed at implementing a "new improved" three-year agreement from January 2025.

Minister Bausch assured that the state would continue to finance TICE until 31 December 2024 according to the current conditions. Once set up, the new TICE office can continue to consult the relevant services at the ministry as per the new agreement. "It will then be up to the new government to prepare a special bill for financial participation which will ensure the continuation of funding until 2027," noted Minister Bausch.

The transport minister concluded by assuring that there is "no reason [for TICE employees] to worry" and stating that "on the contrary, it [TICE] is essential to take on new challenges."