News and views from the bus and tram lanes
No images? Click here
Member Update: April 14, 2022
Dear Members,
On Monday, Region 6 members participated in a 24-hour strike action for same job, same pay. We could not, and still cannot, sit back and allow the subpar conditions in Region 6 to continue. We took this action as a united front with bus drivers from across the private sector. Having drivers doing the exact same job and driving the exact same route but receiving different pay and conditions is simply, at its core, unfair. Thank you to everyone who stood with us in standing up for respect and equality.
You can view some snaps of the action on the Tram & Bus website here.
In Region 7, our first bargaining session took place last week with the goal of setting the parameters of bargaining and general housekeeping. It was agreed that Busways would do a comparison of the Greenfields agreement, which as we know was rejected by the Federal Court. As a result, Busways is now comparing the Driver/Mentor EA with the State Transit Copied Award. Any conditions in both agreements that are similar or the same will form the basis of any new EA for all workers in Region 7. The comparison will be presented at the next bargaining meeting scheduled for Wednesday 20th April.
In next weeks, there will be a survey to members to endorse our Log of Claims before we present it to Busways.
In Newcastle, we asked Keolis Downer to come back to the bargaining table. Last week, KD put forward another proposal to your negotiating committee which was rejected wholeheartedly by members. Since then, your negotiating committee has relayed members' feedback to KD, who has responded with a revised offer. In the meantime, the Protected Action Ballot will open at 9:00am next Wednesday 20th April for members to cast their vote. Remember, the vote to take action is in your hands. If you vote YES it allows us a choice of actions to progress our claims. Your representatives will continue to advocate in good faith, but we are guided by what you as the members are willing to FIGHT for! Full details of the ballot and the revised offer from KD are available in the Member Bulletin linked in this edition of Tram & Bus Express.
Save the date! On May Day, Hunter Workers are holding a May Day Parade. You'll find all the details near the end of this Express. May Day was born out of the struggle for shorter working hours in the early 1800's in Australia and was the turning point to establish the Newcastle Trades Hall Council 152 years ago. This day commemorates workers' rights and the labour movement, as well as the ongoing actions to improve the social and economic conditions of workers across the country and around the world. One popular cause that this day commemorates is the eight-hour workday.
Despite the recent passing of the draconian law which means that peaceful and non-disruptive protests can be disallowed by the police, the plan is for Mayday to go ahead regardless. A day celebrating the rights of workers around the world will not be held hostage to the NSW government trying to stifle honest protest. We encourage everyone to support the Mayday rally and come march under the banner of their union. Now more than ever, workers need to stand up for their rights!
Another reminder that the RTBU, has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser for members who have been impacted by the recent floods. An application must be submitted no later than 30 April 2022 to a Panel for consideration for a gift of up to $1,000 from the monies raised by the fund. View and download the application form here.
You can also make a contribution to the GoFundMe by clicking here.
We hope that you continue to stay safe and well.
Reporting back: Region 6 24-hour strike
On Monday 11th April drivers from across the private bus sector stood in a united front and took strike action for 24 hours. We all know that the only people we can rely on is ourselves as drivers and on Monday we proved that we could rely on each other with hundreds of drivers attending.
This strike was part of our long saga fighting for same job, same pay. We can’t just sit back and let the NSW Government create situations where you have workers doing exactly the same job on different rates of pay and conditions, no matter if it’s in Region 6 or other parts of NSW. The government created this situation through privatisation and now what happened in the Region 6 depots is happening at an industry level. Drivers at different companies work under different conditions- things like 13 hour brokens and no standing time. The same things we’ve been fighting for in the depots is still a battle to win at the wider level.
Bus drivers who do the exact same work should not be segmented by a privatised network and we’ve been taken for granted for too long.
TfNSW sold privatisation to commuters by saying they control the assets, the timetables, and the fares. But when unions try to push them to provide things like toilets facilities they try and say it’s not their responsibility. We’re not going to allow that cop out, the government as the economic employer has obligations to drivers and with your support, the union will make sure they meet them.
As RTBU Tram & Bus Divisional Secretary David Babineau told news.com.au, “It’s about bringing the government’s attention to things that they have the ability to change, but which they really are trying to avoid responsibility for."
“They own all the buses and assets and control the fares, basically setting the timetables.
“They’re the economic employer but say they have no responsibility to workers. That’s not true – they absolutely do.
“We’re in a situation right now where a lot of drivers don’t get rostered toilet breaks … it’s ridiculous, the fact that in 2022 we would talk about that being an issue. You can read the full news.com,au article here.
The previous bargaining meeting scheduled for the 19th April has been cancelled by the company. No replacement date has been received by the union yet. In the meantime, further actions are being planned to keep the pressure on!
Check out some of the images from the mass action on the Tram & Bus website.
Newcastle members targets of misguided abuse
Several Newcastle bus drivers found themselves the unfortunate victims of unacceptable abuse on Monday when some uninformed members of the public decided it was ok to hurl abuse at them for simply doing their job.
Newcastle RTBU members were not part of the protected industrial action being taken in Sydney and Newcastle, but unfortunately some members of the public – perhaps as a result of miscommunication via local media – seemed unaware of that and hurled abuse at members simply for driving their buses.
Daniel Jaggers, President of the Tram and Bus Division of the RTBU NSW said it was an unfortunate situation and one that he hopes will never be repeated.
“It’s disappointing that good union members would end up on the receiving end of such abuse,” Mr Jaggers said.
“These members of the public were clearly supportive of union action which is great, but their target was way off this time.
“RTBU Newcastle members were not part of the action being taken in Sydney this week, so they were driving their buses as usual. It was disappointing to see them abused in such a way, but we’re hopeful that better communication in the future will help alleviate such problems.
“We’re looking forward to public support in the region if and when Newcastle members are forced down the route of protected industrial action in the future.”
Region 7 bargaining update
Our first bargaining session took place last Wednesday. The main aim was to set the parameters of bargaining and general housekeeping.
At the meeting, it was agreed that Busways would do a comparison of the Greenfields agreement, which we know has since been rejected by the Federal Court.
As a result, Busways is now comparing the Driver/Mentor EA with the State Transit Copied Award. Any conditions in both agreements that are similar or the same will form the basis of any new EA for all workers in Region 7.
The comparison will be presented at the next bargaining meeting scheduled for Wednesday 20th April.
In next weeks, there will be a survey to members to endorse our Log of Claims before we present it to Busways.
To refresh your memory, the top 5 items important to members were:
- 5 weeks annual leave
- No backwards step in pay
- Keep all allowances at the least or improve them
- Keep ADO’s
- Sick leave, same rates or improved
Other notable mentions include meal breaks at the depot and no 13-hour broken shifts. All these and more made up the union agenda when we met in bargaining.
Newcastle EA and Protected Action Ballot Update
We requested Keolis Downer to meet us back at the bargaining. In doing so, the company has unexpectedly put an offer on the table of ‘rolling over’ your current EA (i.e. no changes) for 3 years. Your negotiating committee met with you, our members, to discuss this offer and you rejected it overwhelmingly. Your negotiating committee relayed your message to KD and they have now come back with a revised offer and are seeking an in-principle agreement from the union.
You can read the terms of the revised offer in the Member Bulletin here.
In the meantime, the Fair Work Commission has approved the Protected Action Ballot.
A ballot will be open from next Wednesday 20 April at 9.00am and close on Wednesday 27 April at 2.00pm. You will be asked to vote on 2 actions that you are willing to take to help progress your claims.
- Taking protected industrial action in the form of an unlimited number of stoppages of work of 1 to 24 hours in duration; and
- Bans or limitations on the manner in which work is undertaken (covers all other forms of industrial action that doesn’t affect safety)
Members should keep an eye out for an email or SMS from CIVS with information on how to vote in this ballot.
You can read further information on how to vote in the Member Bulletin here.
Vote YES to both questions. If you vote YES it allows us a choice of actions to progress our claims. Your representatives will continue to advocate in good faith, but we are guided by what you as the members are willing to FIGHT for!
Hunter Workers May Day March - Sunday May 1 , 2022
Hunter Workers is holding a May Day Parade on May Day, Sunday 1st March.
All members and their families are invited to join the parade to celebrate the ever-valuable contribution of workers to society as a whole.
Assemble: Newcastle Museum
Time: 10am
March: Wharf Rd to Camp Shortland (Nobbys Beach)
May Day was born out of the struggle for shorter working hours in the early 1800's in Australia and was the turning point to establish the Newcastle Trades Hall Council 152 years ago. This day commemorates workers' rights and the labour movement, as well as the ongoing actions to improve the social and economic conditions of workers across the country and around the world. One popular cause that this day commemorates is the eight-hour workday.
The running sheet for the event is outlined below.
Camp Shortland May Day Carnival/ Family Day
11am
- Hunter Workers President Welcome
- Hunter Workers Secretaries Address
- Speakers
11:30am
- Entertainment
11am - 1:30PM
- Carnival Rides
- Face Painting
- Food Vans
RTBU Flood Relief
Recent flood across Australia have ripped through many communities leaving many RTBU members impacted and even losing their houses and deeply impacting their lives.
The RTBU has organised a GoFundMe to support specifically RTBU members affected by these floods.
You can make a contribution here: https://gofund.me/f2c36586
Thanks for your essential work during a time of crisis.
In solidarity,
David Babineau and Daniel Jaggers
