Dear members,

Our streak is over. There have been two new locally acquired cases of the virus recorded over the last week. It's a stark reminder to remain vigilant as we continue to navigate through the pandemic and take responsible measures to keep ourselves and the public safe.

Thankfully, masks are still mandatory on public transport. We'd like to remind you that there are still some exemptions for transport workers which you can read in the bulletin. Mask-wearing will continue to be a crucial safety measure as the NSW Government predicts an increase in peak hour commuter capacity to 70% of pre-pandemic levels.

An incident involving the Moore Park light rail yesterday has once again shown us the importance of fighting against bus privatisation. A light rail service broke down in the middle of Moore Park tunnel, forcing passengers to alight inside the tunnel and make their way back to the station on foot through the downpour. A member of the public recorded the incident and uploaded it to Facebook. The NSW government touts the light rail network as a reliable alternative to the buses they plan to cut in Regions 7, 8 and 9. But this footage shows otherwise. Our buses shouldn't be left to the hands of private providers. It should be public, safe, and reliable for all.

In some more upbeat news, we were privileged to hold another member BBQ at the Waverley Depot on Tuesday! It was well attended and it was great to catch up with members. Topics of discussion revolved around the recent results of the members' decision to accept the offer from STA with regards to their award, and the strategies the union has in place to ensure that the members' conditions are protected (along with a decent pay increase to be negotiated with the new operator) when transitioning from the State system to the Federal system.

And the union Executive is currently in discussion about alternative picnic day benefits after this year's Sydney Royal Easter Show Organisers placed restrictions on attendance that unfortunately do not match our usual picnic day process. The restrictions mean we had to nominate a single day for members to attend, rather than members choosing their own day. Options to be discussed at the next meeting are a gift card, a Family Fun Day, or both. Let your Delegate know your preference before they attend the next Executive.

For those members who have, within their industrial instruments, a provision for the employer to pay for a picnic day (STA, Keolis Downer, and TSA), the union has nominated Sunday 11 April 2021 as the picnic day.

Once again, we encourage you to show your support for the most recent RTBU campaign calling for the government to protect COVID-vulnerable workers.The petition targets workers with pre-existing conditions who are more susceptible to adverse effects from the virus. Implementing a financial support system similar to JobKeeper will allow them to remain safe at home and securely employed to ensure they can stay out of harm's way. As essential workers, we know that a way to ensure safe and secure employment in the face of adversity should be a right for all.

We are continuing to appeal to members to please give generously to the donation accounts we have set up for the following members:

Michael Yammouni, a TSA bus driver from Leichhardt bus depot - Michael has been involved in an accident that has tragically resulted in the death of a pedestrian. All funds from the account will go towards Michael's legal defence. View the details on where to donate here.

Roy Stanton, an STA bus driver from Randwick bus depot - Roy has been involved in an accident that has tragically resulted in the death of a delivery driver. All funds from the account will go towards Roy's legal defence. View the details on where to donate her.

And a reminder that the deadline to activate RTBU Gift Cards is March 31st. To those who have not yet done this, we encourage you to mark this off your to-do list in order to use the card for well-deserved goodies.

We hope that you continue to stay safe and well.

Waverley Depot BBQ

Our most recent member BBQ at Waverley Depot was a huge success!

It was well attended and it was great to catch up with members over tasty food.

There was lots of chatter, and most of it revolved around the recent results of the members' decision to accept the offer from STA with regards to their award, and the strategies the union has in place to ensure that the members' conditions are protected (along with a decent pay increase to be negotiated with the new operator) when transitioning from the State system to the Federal system.

We love holding these BBQs for you. So watch this space for news on the next one!

Another big thank you to Wagecover who has been supporting these BBQs. 

View more snaps of the day on the Tram & Bus Express website.

Picnic Day Benefit

The union Executive have decided that they will not be purchasing Easter Show tickets this year for members due to the Easter Show Organisers placing the following restrictions on the purchase of tickets:

• The union would need to nominate a day for members to attend as there is restrictions on the number of people that can attend on any given day.
• Public transport is not included in the pricing this year.

The union Executive will be meeting in May, where it will be decided what members will receive for their alternative picnic day benefit. Some of the suggestions put forward by the Delegates are:

• Gift cards
• Family Fun Day in the park (with a separate one for Sydney and Newcastle members)
• The possibility of having both gift cards of the previous value ($40) AND a family fun day.

Please feel free to indicate your preferences to your Delegates before they attend the next Executive.

For those members who have, within their industrial instruments, a provision for the employer to pay for a picnic day (STA, Keolis Downer, and TSA), the union has nominated Sunday 11 April 2021 as the picnic day.

Broken-down light rail forces passengers onto Moore Park tunnel

A member of the public has recorded the moment passengers were made to walk back to the Moore Park light rail stop via the Moore Park tunnel after the light rail they had been travelling on came to an unexpected halt.

As the NSW government slashes bus services in Regions 7, 8 & 9, they have continuously spruiked the light rail service as a reliable alternative for commuters. But this incident shows this isn't the case.

By going through with bus cuts in the east, commuters may expect to be impacted by issues such as this in future. It's important to keep our buses away from the hands of privatisation. 

View the footage on Facebook here.

Bus explodes into flames in suspected arson attack in Forster

Police have launched a search for a woman after a bus - which had been carrying 60 passengers - exploded into flames in the NSW mid-north coast.

Around 60 passengers on the bus had to be evacuated and the driver was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, after the bus burst into flames about 1.15pm on the corner of Lake and West streets in Forster.

The driver is believed to have had a “close call” after he made sure all passengers were evacuated safely before the fire took hold.

Police are currently searching for the woman.

Read the full article on News.com.au.

Miranda retirement village bus stop to be retained after pleas by residents

Transport for NSW has listened to the pleas of a group of Miranda seniors and agreed to retain the bus stop in front of Juliana Village, on Kingsway between Sutherland Hospital and the Westfield shopping centre.

Residents of Logeman Court, the independent living section of Juliana Village, were horrified their bus stop was among those to go as part of plans to remove several bus stops to "improve bus reliability and on-time running" in Miranda, Caringbah and Taren Point.

Logeman Court resident, Jo De Groot, said: "This bus stop has made it possible for all of us, and indeed other residents of our immediate area, to continue a relatively normal lifestyle in terms of going shopping, doctors' appointments, social and other meetings, even if we now have to make use of walking frames or wheelchairs."

Read the full article on The Leader.

Lord Mayor calls out NSW Government for abandoning Eat St businesses in Light Rail plans

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Bob Dwyer has raised concerns the NSW Government is keeping Eat Street businesses in the dark about the future of outdoor dining as it delivers Parramatta Light Rail.

“Council staff recently visited Eat Street businesses and 84 per cent said Transport for NSW hadn’t informed them of their proposed design for outdoor dining and umbrella structures,” Cr Dwyer said.

“While Parramatta Light Rail will transform our City for generations to come, helping to make Parramatta more accessible and easier to navigate, it shouldn’t come at the cost of our local businesses.”

Read the full article on Mirage News.

Mask Update and Q&A

We've recently updated the Mask Q&A to keep up to speed with state health direction. The NSW Government has fine tuned the direction for mandatory masks. After representations by unions including the RTBU, the government has introduced a degree of common sense to the Public Health Order.

Read the updated Mask Q&A here.

Public Health Order Exemption: Mandatory Face Coverings

Members are advised of a recent exemption to the mandatory wearing of face masks on public transport issued by NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard MP.

The order states a person is exempt from wearing a mask if they:

1. Are at premises, at a public transport waiting area, or in a vehicle for the purposes [of] their employment or engagement; AND
2. Are not interacting directly with members of the public.

This is limited to staff, contractors, volunteers, or workers at the premises.

This means that LRV operators do not have to wear a mask whilst inside the driver’s cabin, and that bus drivers running special do not have to wear a mask.

The RTBU will continue to support health advice for the safety of our members and the traveling public.

Full health orders and exemptions can be found on the NSW Government Health website. 

If you have any questions, please contact your local delegate or organiser.

Read the full bulletin here.

Let’s look after COVID-Vulnerable workers, and keep Australians safe.

Australia is doing an incredible job of containing the COVID-19 virus. But when outbreaks occur, not everyone can work from home during a lockdown - and this loss of income is disastrous for workers and their families.

The RTBU is launching its campaign for a COVID-Vulnerable worker payment, allowing workers to continue receiving their full pay, while staying at home and out of harm’s way during a lockdown period. Help us keep Australia and its workers safe.

Sign the petition, spread the word.

Watch an explainer video here.

Donations for TSA Driver Michael Yammouni

Donations are being collected to assist a TSA bus driver from Leichhardt bus depot. Michael has been involved in an accident that has tragically resulted in the death of a pedestrian.

We’ve all had and seen near misses and know how easily this could happen to any one of us. The RTBU has set up an account for drivers to donate to and help with Michael’s legal defence. Add your name or depot location to the deposit reference field so Michael knows who has contributed.

Thank you for supporting our colleague as he traverses this most difficult of times.

View the details on where to donate on the Tram & Bus website.

Donations for STA Driver Roy Stanton

Donations are being collected to assist an STA bus driver from Randwick bus depot. Roy has been involved in an accident that has tragically resulted in the death of a delivery driver.

We’ve all had and seen near misses and know how easily this could happen to any one of us. The RTBU has set up an account for drivers to donate to and help with Roy’s legal defence. Add your name or depot location to the deposit reference field so Roy knows who has contributed.

View the details on where to donate on the Tram & Bus website.

RTBU Gift Cards - Activate before the deadline

In order to use your RTBU Gift Cards, please activate your card by March 31st. The card is valid until September 30th.

COVID-19: FAQs

We are constantly updating the COVID-19 frequently asked questions section of the website, so please make sure you head there and have a look. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact your local delegate or the Division office at nswbus@rtbu-nsw.asn.au. 

Thanks for your essential work during a time of crisis.

In solidarity, 

David Babineau and Daniel Jaggers