Member Update: December 16 2022

Dear Members,

It's been a tough week all around for the Union - both for staff and members. Because of this, today's bulletin will be a short update with a more comprehensive issue next week.

In CMET and Region 6, EA votes are happening now and coming up.

At CMET, we are encouraging a YES vote.

At Transit Systems, we are encouraging a NO vote.

We finally have the AEC counting votes for the RTBU elections. There were issues with members at certain Tram locations noot be allowed to vote. Along with this, there were reports of serious irregularities at some locations. These issues have been raised with the AEC. We have had little visibility of the voting timetable until quite late and no timetable for an official announcement of results. It's not a new issue - there always seems to be one issue or another arising with the AEC running our elections. But it does strengthen the case that we should move to secure electronic voting via a third party. The move would be a cost, but it would mean that we have control over the poll's timing, avoid having people not be given the opportunity to vote, remove the risk of irregularities, and let us know precisely when results would come through. A week before Christmas is not the best time for people to wonder if they have a job and can pay their bills.

Thankfully the alignments have been clear, and the issues this week have all been on the bus side of things.

This week we had two separate instances of drivers involved in physical altercations with each other at terminus points. Earlier this week, the news was splashed with headlines about a bus driver and a van driver assaulting each other in traffic in Sydney. Additionally, this week, a pedestrian tragically lost their life in an accident involving a bus in the Sydney CBD.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of the person who lost their life yesterday and our solidarity to the Bus Driver and their family. Unfortunately, these incidents happen with disturbing regularity and, as we know, can happen to anyone.

Clearly, drivers are overworked and under enormous stress. It's gotten so bad that Transport for NSW is planning service reductions from the 19th of December 2022 in some Regions. So rather than push some money to the companies to pay drivers better, reinstate our employee passes, or any number of other things to benefit existing drivers and entice new workers, they are cutting bus services to the public. TfNSW needs a reminder that they exist to ensure they deliver reliable transport services to the public, many of whom have no other method of getting around.

After losing so many experienced drivers during and after privatisation, no one seems to have learned anything about treating the men and women who deliver public transport fairly and equitably. So instead, it's the usual routine of screwing workers for every cent they can and still expecting us to do our jobs professionally in the middle of an inflationary cost of living crisis.

It has to stop.


In unity, 

RTBU NSW