The industrial action ordered by the General Workers Union for Arriva drivers was withdrawn after one day, but it smacked of an attempt to divert attention from the positive budgetary measures taken by the government and one to destabilise a service that was finally finding its feet.

The GWU seems to have waited for the complaints about public transport to die down before it issued its directive; and there was no better time to do it (for the GWU) than after a budget presentation that was welcomed with open arms from all sectors of society.

For more than four months, the complaints about the public bus service made the headlines almost every day and most of the grumbling was justified. The government has admitted that it raised the bar sky-high in the run-up towards the bus transport reform, when it would have been more prudent to speak about probable teething problems that would have gradually been sorted out.

That it took four changes to the system in four months for it to be adjusted to the people’s needs shows that there was ample confusion on how things could work out in the best way. But thankfully, the last alterations seem to have brought about a more orderly, efficient and reliable system. Pockets of difficulties remain, but that is understandable in all public services.

The GWU said it was cautious enough to wait four months before resorting to industrial action aimed to improve the drivers’ working conditions. Fair enough, but reversing the argument it could be said that the GWU waited until the public transport system overcame many hurdles to create a new obstacle, one that the union could have easily avoided.

Yes, the GWU withdrew its directive when it came to terms with Arriva a day later, but the fact that it thought about ordering industrial action and implemented it was uncalled for.

In the past, the union never lost an occasion to put pressure on the government and, although it’s been a while since the GWU took such drastic action, last Wednesday’s directive came across as an attempt to put spokes in Arriva’s wheels and disrupt a service which was finally getting some positive feedback from commuters in general.

On a lighter note, it was the GWU’s Maritime and Aviation section that issued the industrial action directive. It was not known that buses can sail and fly.