Member Update: September 17, 2021

Dear Members,

This week Pyrmont Depot Tram Drivers commenced protected industrial action in response to Transdev's refusal to provide fair career progression as part of current enterprise agreement negotiations. Actions taken throughout the week were chosen to target Transdev and were cautious of their effect on commuters, many of whom are essential workers.

Having equal opportunity in this area is a basic ask. Members were left with no choice but to take action in order for Transdev to take them and their EA seriously.

In more EA news, next week, RTBU Officials will be visiting Region 6 depots to discuss the TSA's offer with members. TSA has put no effort towards meeting any of the claims members want in the new EA, and instead has opted to take things away. If it comes down to it and TSA refuses to provide fair treatment to members in the new EA, we’re working with the TWU to get protected action happening together. More to come after next weeks meetings.

Despite announcing that they will no longer be providing daily updates after last Sunday, the NSW Government showed up as usual to their 11am press conference the following day. Instead of focusing on case numbers and the need for safety and health measures, they announced their "roadmap" to reopening and the the freedoms that apply to those who are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile the risk of COVID remains present.

More last-minute changes keep coming into place, causing unnecessary stress for workers, particularly in the LGAs of concern. You can find them in the latest Branch COVID update here. Our focus continues to remain on ensuring that worker have access to Rapid Antigen Testing, to complement vaccination, so that they remain safe in the workplace.

Brookvale and Randwick bus depots have been the latest to fall to Covid. A Covid-positive Brookvale driver completed a PM shift, and so exposure to others was limited. However, the positive case earlier this week at Randwick has lead to 25 drivers being forced into compulsory isolation from the date of exposure.

We've been in it for the long haul, but we're always grateful for your efforts in keeping yourselves and the community safe. You know the drill! 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 personally.

We are continuing to appeal to members to please give generously to the donation account we have set up for 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 hope that you continue to stay safe and well.

COVID Update – 11 September 2021

On 10 September we saw a cynical move by the NSW Government telling us that they will no longer be providing daily updates and will instead delegate that task to NSW Health to do online. This is the next stage in what seems to be a deliberate drive to divert attention from case numbers and instead focus on vaccination rates.

The Government also announced their reopening plan. The “roadmap” will apparently allow some freedoms for people who are fully vaccinated, including things like visiting pubs and sport venues.

The lockdown will end and stay-at-home orders for adults who have received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine will be lifted from the Monday after NSW achieves the 70% double-dose vaccination target.

Members in many regional areas across the state woke this morning to lifted lockdown restrictions. We hope that you enjoy your newfound freedom and that we can all join you sooner rather than later.

However, the risk of COVID everywhere remains. This week there was a positive case from Western Sydney who travelled on the XPT from Strathfield to Coffs Harbour forcing six crew members and many more passengers to enter isolation.

Late last weekend, the Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, again revised the public health orders (PHO) applying to members. This is the latest last minute change to draconian PHOs that are causing Transport Workers across the state, but particularly in LGAs of concern, unnecessary stress. The change made was:

The date to be vaccinated in order to leave an LGA of concern for work was moved back to 9 September 2021.
If a worker from an LGA of concern had booked an appointment to get vaccinated by 9 September 2021 for a date before 19 September 2021, they could still leave for work purposes.
After 19 September 2021, authorised workers in an LGA of concern will not be able to leave for work unless they have had at least 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or evidence of a medical exemption

Our focus this week has been on ensuring that testing is in place across NSW. Our view remains that vaccination by itself is not sufficient to ensure a safe workplace. Rapid Antigen testing is required to ensure that workplaces are COVID free, and each and every member is safe when they are performing their duties. It was reported this week that NSW Parliament has RAT in place. If they can do it for themselves, surely they can do it for those keeping our state moving.

Of course, other precautions must remain in place such as physical distancing and mask wearing to further reduce the risk of workplace transmission.

More information can be found in the full COVID Update here.

Pyrmont Depot takes protected action for fair progression

On Tuesday, members at the Pyrmont depot engaged in protected industrial action by NOT wearing a Transdev supplied uniform. It was fantastic to see members participating to show Transdev that they are a united workforce that need to be taken more seriously, rather than be treated as the forgotten depot. This is just one of many actions taken throughout the week in the fight for equal career opportunity.

The company put forward a proposed agreement on Thursday, which is to be voted on next Thursday 23rd September. The union is running a “NO” vote based on the company not addressing the equality issue as raised in Tuesday morning's media release.

We are also fighting to have a Category 1 worker (Tram Operator) earning more per hour than a Category 3 worker across all grades. This is being done to consider the high responsibilities towards passenger safety conducted by Category 1 workers, whereas Category 3 workers' level of passenger responsibility differs due to the nature of their duties. Having Category 1 workers paid more per hour over Category 3 has been applied in the past, and members have been urging for this arrangement to return.

The union is calling on the company to treat these workers with more respect and get back to the negotiating table to address these two outstanding issues.

Covid-19 strikes again in Sydney bus depots

We have seen COVID-19 strike again over the past week at bus depots within the Sydney basin. This time it was Brookvale and Randwick bus depots.

The Brookvale driver did a PM shift and so exposure to others was limited, but the positive case earlier this week at Randwick now has around 25 drivers being forced into compulsory isolation from the date of exposure.

A positive case within the workplace does have an effect on your ability to earn your regular income. If you are identified as a close or casual contact, you will need to spend time away from work and will only be paid your base rate of pay (NO penalties applicable) for this time. All because you were in the same room as somebody who had the COVID-19 virus.

The NSW government has been solely focused on getting everyone vaccinated rather than looking at measures to detect if the COVID virus is in the workplace.

We saw a bus depot in Sydney’s West closed down by their Health and Safety Representatives for two days late last week due to a positive COVID-19 case within the depot. If rapid antigen testing was available then the COVID-19 virus would have been detected and the infected staff member would not have had the opportunity to possibly infect others within the depot. It was on this basis that the depot was closed and employees were sent home with pay. To ensure a safe workplace, daily Rapid Antigen testing has been brought to that depot.

The union is continuing to advocate for testing to be made available within the workplace (rapid antigen testing) at all work locations before anyone commences work.

It is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe workplace and this testing would give assurance to workers that the people they are sitting in the meal room with are not COVID positive.

It is the responsibility of elected Health and Safety Representatives to make that happen. The union fully supports any HSR who feels up to the task of fighting for a safe workplace.

Transit Systems proposed EA

As discussed in the previous Express, Transit Systems (TSA) sent out a draft Enterprise Agreement (EA) to Region 6 employees with plans for a vote in early November. There has been no effort to meet ANY of the claims that members have told us they want in a new EA. In fact, this draft EA takes many things away.

While the company has the right to put a document up to vote at any time, IT’S UP TO EMPLOYEES TO APPROVE IT. The company has to convince you that losing your conditions and pay is something you should do. The usual process is to try and scare you or dangle a pay offer or bonus on front of you.

The recent pay increase that ex-STA drivers received of 2.5% is not tied to the EA as TSA is claiming. The RTBU took TSA to the Federal Court and the company agreed to pass on what was awarded to employees because they are on a copied award. When the FWC makes it’s decision each year about a minimum wage rise, transitional instruments are included; the Copied State Award is a Transitional Instrument.

This is like taking someone to court and having them agree to pay a debt back, and the person who owes the money then says the repayment is also your Christmas present for that year. It’s not, it is simply what you are owed.

RTBU Officials will be visiting Region 6 depots next week from 10am – 2pm each day to discuss the offer with members. Because of the COVID environment, meetings will be outdoors with masks and social distancing being observed.

Monday 20th September at Burwood - Open area outside the Maintenance Managers Office.
Tuesday 21st September at Kingsgrove - BBQ Area behind the Institute building.
Wednesday 22nd September at Leichhardt - Flat Maintenance area next to the Spray Booth.
Thursday 23rd September at Tempe - Area near the War Memorial Statue.

We’re also working with the TWU to get protected action happening together. It’s time to stand up and force the company to deal fairly with workers, and if they won’t do that willingly we need to make them!

Summer Crowd Control

The union has been advised that from early October, TfNSW & STA will be actively managing the Circular Quay, Manly, Watson’s Bay, Bondi and Bondi Junction transport interchanges on weekends when larger crowds are expected.

Bondi will have crowd control barriers installed at the bus stop of Campbell Parade southbound approaching Hall St. These barriers will be in place on weekends as required from October 2021 to January 2022.

In addition to uplifts in the Summer timetable (during daylight saving) by way of additional services, STA supervisors and Covid marshals continue to be available to support those areas (such as the beaches over summer) with high customer demand.

If you experience overloading at any of these locations and there is no assistance in loading, report it to the Network Control Centre immediately and, upon return to the depot, fill in a general report noting the time and location. Give a copy of this general report to your local Delegate. This will give your Delegate the opportunity to advocate on where and when resources need to be to assist members with the loading of buses.

Media Release - Vomit and phone ban: Light rail drivers to take protected industrial action from Tuesday

14 September 2021

Light rail drivers from the Pyrmont depot will not answer their phone to the bosses from Tuesday and refuse to clean up vomit from Friday as part of protected industrial action.

About 60 drivers will take a range of actions – including the ban on the use of their personal technological devices, which management are not meant to use as a means of contacting workers, but do on a regular basis – from Tuesday 14 September.

Other actions being taken throughout the week include:

a uniform ban (all PPE will still be worn)
a ban on overtime working from Thursday
a ban on using the Transdev app, which is used for service updates
a ban on cleaning up hazardous waste such as vomit and urine from Friday. Cost cutting measures put in place in around five years ago mean that rather than take a vehicle containing hazardous waste straight in for cleaning, light rail drivers are now meant to put a powder substance on the waste product and finish the route before getting the tram cleaned.
Not answering a two-way radio until they are completely stopped at a station.

The action comes in response to management’s refusal to provide Pyrmont workers with career equality as part of current enterprise agreement negotiations.

“We don’t want to have to take action, especially at a time when we’re moving so many essential workers around the network, which is why we’ve chosen these actions. Our fight is with the company, not the public, but Transdev has left us with no choice but to take this action.

“All we’re asking for is fair career progression, in line with other light rail drivers in Sydney,” Tram and Bus Division President of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW, Daniel Jaggers said. “Being a light rail driver is a career, and we deserve the same access to career progression as other drivers in Sydney.

Currently it takes five years to reach the highest possible grade for Pyrmont drivers, as compared with just three years elsewhere. Pyrmont drivers also get paid less than other drivers.

“This is about respecting a workforce who have gone above and beyond to keep our communities moving during the covid crisis,” Mr Jaggers said. “Transdev rejected our claim for one agreement to cover all drivers in Sydney, and now they’re rejecting this basic matter of equality too.

“It’s outrageous that a company as big as Transdev would insist on treating its workers with such little respect. We’re not asking for much, just the right to progress our careers like everyone else.

“No one wants to take protected industrial action, but we’ve been left with no choice. We can’t sit back and let Transdev treat our workers with such little respect.”

Working from home: Pandemic offers end to commute

The Productivity Commission revealing Australians have embraced their home offices and the massive savings in time by avoiding the daily commute.

Research released on Thursday by the Commission shows working just one day a week at home rather than in the office saves the equivalent of seven working days in travel time and $394 in public transport costs over a year.

The commission found the single biggest gain perceived by most employees was the end to the daily commute. In Sydney, the mean commute per day is almost 75 minutes. The cost of that time in Sydney was $49.

Read the full article in The Sydney Morning Herald.

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.

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