Tram and Bus Express: News and views from life in the bus & tram lanes
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Member Update: November 19, 2021
Dear Members,
The holiday season is fast approaching. More and more people will no doubt be out and about to prepare for presents and celebrations. For approximately 5000 commuters in the inner west, there's a slight reprieve to inconvenienced caused by the bungled light rail, with replacement bus fares being halved for the duration of the suspension as they investigate the cracks.
For workers, we have immediately called for all inner west light rail employees to be given meaningful work, and for the government to ensure they suffered no loss of income.
Time and time again we have highlighted the need for locally manufactured, quality public transport. Safety is priceless, and taking risks on overseas infrastructure could come at a devastatingly high cost at any time if the government continues on this path.
To buses now, with Region 6 kicking off protected industrial action with the TWU on Monday by turning off the Opal machines for a day. Services in the area will run with free travel for commuters as we nip the bosses right in the bud. The industrial action is being taken to fight for fair wages and conditions, instead of having two separate systems where one side is left with lesser wages and conditions than the other.
Safety seems to be the hot topic over the last few days. Former TfNSW Secretary Rodd Staples has fronted a parliamentary inquiry into the Transport Holding Asset Entity (TAHE), explaining his concerns over the risks involved in its establishment. It seems that not only was former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian aware of these risks from lengthy briefings, she was allegedly also informed by Mr Staples himself. Again, the disregard for safe and secure transport for workers and passengers is blinding.
In the meantime, another point of safety. It remains important to keep following the usual rules in line with public health orders and to also pay attention to any exposure sites you may have attended in a personal capacity. This helps to continue keeping yourselves, your loved ones, your colleagues, and the public safe and healthy.
We also hope to see as many of you as possible at the Rally to Save our Buses on Wednesday 24 November. The NSW Government is going ahead and slashing 25 routes and at least 50 stops from December 5, and we need to tell them loud and clear that this is not what the public and what transport workers want. You can find further details of this rally in this edition of the Express.
For those who may need a bit of extra support, or if you think your wellbeing has taken a hit over the last few months, we encourage you to reach out to a loved one, a mate, or to one of the services available to you.
We hope that you continue to stay safe and well.
Industrial Action: Inner West to go Fare-Free on Monday
Region 6 members are taking protected industrial action with the TWU to fight for equal wages and conditions.
To kick this off, we're shutting off the Opal machines on Monday 22 November, and services in the area will be running fare-free for commuters. Nothing shakes up management like the loss of a day's profit.
Since the NSW Government privatised the Region 6 buses, workers have been employed under two different systems. This allows one group of workers to be employed on lesser conditions than the other. Currently, bus drivers are working side by side, but one gets less annual leave, no breaks, and has to work longer shifts. This is what happens when bus services are privatised. Commuters are robbed of services and workers are robbed of their pay and conditions.
All we’re asking for is for all drivers to be treated fairly.
Join the Rally to Save Our Buses
The NSW Government confirmed their decision to go forward with slashing 24 bus services and at least 50 bust stops in the Eastern suburbs.
Not only will this take away thousands of services every day and jeopardise local access to public transport, it puts the fate of so many transport workers on the line. Cuts to bus services means cuts to our work.
The cuts are due to start from December 5th. Leading up to it, during, and, if needed, beyond, we will continue to fight to save as many services and stops as possible. The retainment of the 373 has shown us that we can achieve this, and we must now extend this to all services on the chopping block.
Join the rally to Save Our Buses!
Date: Wednesday 24 November
Time: 1:00pm
Location: Martin Place, opposite Parliament House
What to Bring: Signs that call on the Government to stop the cuts and to Save Our Buses
Calls for Australian-made infrastructure following a plague of public transport failures
Sydney is a city under construction, with the NSW government spending billions on public transport infrastructure. But the delivery and operation of many of these projects — from trains and trams to ferries — have been plagued by issues.
The most recent, the decommissioning of the entire inner-west light rail fleet for up to 18 months, is just the latest in a long list of public transport problems.
Before then it was trains too wide for tunnels, ferries that cannot fit beneath bridges, and Sydney buses catching fire in 2016, causing a major stoush between the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and then-minister Andrew Constance.
Now there are calls for locally manufactured transport infrastructure, with the New South Wales opposition blames the slew of problems on the government's record of overseas procurement.
Former NSW transport secretary Rodd Staples considered resigning over rail safety concerns, parliamentary inquiry hears
Rodd Staples has told a parliamentary inquiry into the Transport Holding Asset Entity (TAHE) he considered resigning after raising concerns about rail safety being compromised by a state-owned corporation's focus on turning a profit.
Rodd Staples was sacked from his role as transport secretary last November.
Mr Staples told the inquiry he was so "uncomfortable" with the way TAHE was operating, he took his concerns to then-Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Mr Staples raised concerns medium-to-long term safety could suffer because of TAHE's commercial objectives.
TfNSW potentially needed $6 billion emergency funding
The New South Wales Government is establishing a quantum technology hub they say will ultimately run Sydney's transport network, with the contracts to be awarded next year.
Major transport projects would likely need to be scrapped or changed due to a multibillion-dollar funding shortfall, the government was warned last year.
A sensitive government document from December last year has revealed that $1.25 billion worth of transport projects were announced without the money being available in Transport for NSW’s current funding.
The document did not specify which projects may be subject to cost increases, but could include Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 or the Northern Beaches Link, both in their early stages.
The government was also warned that it was “likely” that transport for NSW employees and contractors could suffer serious injuries or be killed while building transport projects.
Read the full article in The Courier Mail (please note there is a paywall)
Heavy burden of suspended light rail
For all the inner west line’s success, the CBD light rail project dogged the government for years, with a messy legal battle and multiple cost blowouts during construction. By the time it opened in late 2019 with poor patronage and slow speeds, scores of businesses along its route had either closed or were suffering after years of construction on their doorstep.
Now, every single tram on the inner west line is cracked, with the opposition campaigning for more local manufacturing of transport assets – having already seized on comments by then-premier Berejiklian that her state was “not good at building trains”.
Not only does a protracted closure to the route pose an obvious problem for Sydney’s transport network and businesses that rely on its patronage, it is also a thorn in the side for the Perrottet government, which is now racing to find a solution before the next election.
Vaccination Reminder
Bus drivers, due to their working environment, are at particular risk. Members are encouraged to sign up for the appropriate vaccination for your circumstances ASAP. The sooner you’re protected, the sooner your family is. Members who for health reasons are eligible for priority vaccination are encouraged to make an appointment. Vaccinated employees with health risks are considered safe to attend work. Employees not yet vaccinated who have health issues should approach their staff supervisors or line managers to discuss what options are available.
If the Pfizer vaccine is suitable for you, the STA have designated appointments available for you to get vaccinated. Contact your local manager for more information.
Please stay safe and stay vigilant. Bring any issues or concerns to the attention of your local delegate, including any hot spots where you see consistent non-compliance of mask wearing by passengers on buses or at bus stops.
Mandatory Vaccination
The dispute about mandatory vaccinations is ongoing with TfNSW. While this does not impact anyone who is in the private sector and will minimally impact Region 7 (members will be private before the Feb 7th review date), Region 9 will be an issue.
We have made the case that extra safety measures could be required of unvaccinated people to safely do their jobs. Unfortunately, TfNSW is taking the opinion that it’s vaccination or nothing- no testing regime, mask wearing, physical distancing, or combination of those measures will make up for not being vaccinated.
This stance is not supported by the science, it’s simply the easiest way out for the government who are the ones behind it. This policy did not come from the Department of Health but from the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Unfortunately, wherever it came from, this leads to people losing their jobs, which is what the Union is trying to prevent.
Discussions are ongoing and the dispute remains live.
STA Safety Screens
From the beginning, the RTBU position on the issue of safety screens was that drivers needed to be the ones who make the decision. We made sure that drivers were consulted, that they had ways to provide feedback, and for that feedback to matter.
The obvious issues with the screens have been visibility of mirrors, the reflections caused, and the distortion looking through them through the front door.
The screens have reduced serious assaults by 40%, and we’ve had situations where drivers have used the screen like a shield to defend themselves. There is no doubt that the screens are protecting members on the job from both COVID and assault. The issue is you cannot create one hazard to reduce another.
Following concerned members reporting the issue to Safework NSW, an Improvement Notice has been issued to STA about the visibility and reflection issues. STA is appealing this at the IRC. The Union has become involved to try and find a solution that fixes the visibility issues but retains the protection the screens offer. Members will be updated as this issue progresses.
Gift Card Reminder
Don’t forget to activate your RTBU gift card by the end of this month if you haven’t already!
Thanks for your essential work during a time of crisis.
In solidarity,
David Babineau and Daniel Jaggers
