Tram and Bus Express: News and views from life in the bus & tram lanes
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Member Update: July 9 2021
Dear members,
We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and staying well as the stay-at-home order for Greater Sydney continues.
We'd like to, again, thank all members who have been hard at work since the start of the order. Know that you are all instrumental to providing an essential service at this time. We wish for your safety and wellbeing as you carry out your duties on the front line.
Case numbers have fluctuated over the week, but unfortunately case locations have continued to climb. We've been keeping a close eye on further affected transport routes as they are updated on the NSW Health Case Location and Alert list. In addition to the information on current COVID measures from Transport for NSW on the Tram & Bus website, you can also view a comprehensive list of Public Health Orders and restrictions on the NSW Health website.
As usual, we encourage members to adhere to the health advice. Wear a mask as required, social distance where possible, and, where you can, pay attention to exposure sites in case you may have attended any of them in a personally.
For drivers, wearing your mask is especially crucial now and especially for drivers in the Eastern Suburbs. Police and STA authorised officers will begin fining drivers if they are caught without a mask from next week. Your compliance will be greatly appreciated during this time.
To some uplifting news now. The $50 gift cards have now been delivered and will be distributed by your local Delegates. For Randwick Tram Depot members, your gift cards will be distributed by union representatives at the Depot on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th July between 8am-4pm. These gift cards are well deserved and we hope you all use it to treat yourselves with whatever you purchase!
To those whose stomachs were rumbling for another Depot BBQ, you'll have to wait a little while longer. In the interest of your safety, we're putting future Depot BBQs on hold for the foreseeable future. We can't wait to start these up again and check in to see how you're all faring once it's safe for all of us to come together again.
We are continuing to appeal to members to please give generously to the donation accounts we have set up for the following member:
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.
We also 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 hope that you continue to stay safe and well.
Gift Cards now available!
The $50 gift cards for members have finally arrived after the executive moved a resolution on May 7th that all members are to receive one each.
We thank you all for your patience as we waited for the cards to be delivered to us.
All Delegates now have these cards for distribution, with the exception of Randwick Tram Depot.
For members at Randwick Tram Depot, union representatives will be at the Depot next Thursday 15 July and Friday 16 July from 8am to 4pm to distribute the gift cards.
Everyone else will receive their gift cards through their local Delegates, and CMET members will get theirs in the mail.
We sincerely hope you enjoy spending your well-earned cards and that you treat yourselves with whatever you purchase.
COVID Goes Back to School
In light of the recent transmissions of the Delta variant of COVID-19 among school students, the RTBU has made representations to TfNSW today.
Some of our members in the East in particular where schools were affected, are concerned about carrying school students particularly on school specials.
While people seem to be doing the right thing on route services, on school specials it’s a different story. Because of the number of available buses, load limiting is not an option for school specials. The union has therefore flagged that any school where cases are known to have occurred must provide and enforce the wearing of masks by their students in order for the service to operate.
Hopefully this outbreak will be reigned in, and schools will be more tightly managed when they have an infected student and we won’t be put in this position.
Regardless, TfNSW have been made aware that we will protect our members health even if the government won’t.
Update on new COVID-19 restrictions
With the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in NSW, today again the RTBU joined other unions in the ongoing meetings with Transport for NSW to discuss restrictions and to raise issues as they develop.
In addition to existing restrictions, the new restrictions are as follows:
- While the Health orders make it compulsory for QR Codes to be displayed at the depot it remains unclear if it is compulsory to use them.
- Outdoor public gatherings limited to two people (excluding members of the same household);
- People must stay in their Local Government Area or within 10kms of home for exercise and outdoor recreation, with no carpooling between non-household members;
- Browsing in shops is prohibited, plus only one person per household, per day may leave the home for shopping;
- Funerals limited to ten people in total (this will take effect from Sunday, 11 July).
As reported last issue the NSW Branch Office will be operating with reduced staffing levels from this afternoon until the lockdown is officially ended by the NSW Govt, with all other staff working remotely but still available if required. The Tram and Bus divisional office remains open at Redfern with officials and organisers on site, and admin and legal staff working from home.
As during the last Covid lockdown, our staff and officers will do everything they can to reduce the impact of remote working arrangements on membership consultation and contact. However, we still ask all members to be understanding during this time.
The RTBU continues to push for Transport Workers to be given priority for vaccinations, bus drivers in particular due to their working environment. As it stands, 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.
Government advice is for anyone over 60 years of age to make an appointment for the AstraZeneca vaccine, and anyone under that age to either talk to their GP about if that vaccine is appropriate for them, or to get the Pfizer vaccination. Supply remains an issue although this week it has been reported that that supply of vaccines purchased by the federal government has been brought forward and in the next two weeks we’ll have extra doses on hand.
Remember if you’re an STA employee, you can claim 2 hours pay for getting vaccinated on your day off or after a shift, and you should see your staff supervisor for more information about how to claim that. Private sector employees should have rosters allocate an RDO or a day off for a vaccine. Talk to your local roster clerk as soon as you know what date your vaccination appointment is.
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.
Taxpayers lose out when governments rush transport projects
Australia’s state and federal governments have developed a costly habit of rushing major transport projects to market. The premature decisions are often made for political purposes, but invariably the taxpayer is left to pick up the tab.
The pork barrelling and cost blowouts on suburban train station carparks are only the latest example. A recent Auditor-General report on the selection and funding of carpark projects through the $4.8 billion federal Urban Congestion Fund concluded that the approach used “was not designed to be open or transparent”, and the steps taken to identify and fund projects was “not appropriate”.
This example of rushing projects instead of scoping and planning is not an isolated incident. The overrun for the Light Rail and the Sydney Metro combined amounts to over 4 billion dollars.
In Sydney, the NSW Auditor-General criticised the CBD and South East light rail project’s ‘inadequate planning and tight timeframes’, after the construction company claimed the Government failed to pass on crucial information about underground conditions. In June 2019, the NSW Government paid the contractors an extra $576 million in compensation.
Police filmed parking in Sydney bus zone for ‘pork roll’ dash
A policeman has divided Sydneysiders after he was caught on camera breaking the road rules to grab a pork roll.
A Sydneysider has filmed the moment two policemen parked their highway patrol vehicle in a bus zone before one of them dashed across the road to grab a hot roll.
Footage of the incident, which occurred earlier in the month outside King’s Hot Bread on Forest Rd, Hurstville, was posted to Facebook.
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.
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.
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.
Thanks for your essential work during a time of crisis.
In solidarity,
David Babineau and Daniel Jaggers
