Latest news with #TramandBusUnion
Sydney Morning Herald
31-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Melbourne's trains should move back into public hands to get a better deal for commuters, says union
Melbourne's train network would return to public hands under a rail union push to improve services and oversight of maintenance, faults and staffing. Rail, Tram and Bus Union Victorian secretary Vik Sharma and national president Victor Moore have drafted a motion for this weekend's Labor Party state conference to strengthen the upcoming bidding process before the existing Metro Trains contract expires in 2027. As well as calling for an inquiry to improve commuter outcomes, the union wants the government to consider a public bid from the Department of Transport and Planning to run the metropolitan train network, or at least formulate a road map to reliably return the network to public control. 'The current contract does not grant the government adequate oversight or control over operations of Metro including staffing levels, faults, maintenance and decision-making about the network. Withholding critical information and decision-making control gives Metro an unfair advantage and makes it more difficult to prioritise the public interest,' the draft motion said. A separate proposal from the Electrical Trades Union to overhaul the way gender quotas are calculated in Victorian Labor's preselections, previously revealed by The Age, has been withdrawn after it caused consternation that the number of Labor women elected to parliament could go backwards. Other draft motions circulated before the state conference include a proposal to reform the 'undemocratic' municipal voting system in the City of Melbourne, where businesses get two votes. The Australian Workers Union is also calling on the government to abolish its public sector wages cap. Loading The Rail, Tram and Bus Union motion on the metropolitan train network calls for an independent inquiry into the current contract to identify gaps in the government's knowledge. It would also review how confidentiality rules built into the franchise agreement hinders oversight and collaboration between the government and the operator, 'with the aim of strengthening the state's position and improving public transport outcomes'. The findings and recommendations of that inquiry should be reflected in the next tender process, expected to begin soon, the union wrote, to guarantee ongoing access to operational data.
The Age
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Melbourne's trains should move back into public hands to get a better deal for commuters, says union
Melbourne's train network would return to public hands under a rail union push to improve services and oversight of maintenance, faults and staffing. Rail, Tram and Bus Union Victorian secretary Vik Sharma and national president Victor Moore have drafted a motion for this weekend's Labor Party state conference to strengthen the upcoming bidding process before the existing Metro Trains contract expires in 2027. As well as calling for an inquiry to improve commuter outcomes, the union wants the government to consider a public bid from the Department of Transport and Planning to run the metropolitan train network, or at least formulate a road map to reliably return the network to public control. 'The current contract does not grant the government adequate oversight or control over operations of Metro including staffing levels, faults, maintenance and decision-making about the network. Withholding critical information and decision-making control gives Metro an unfair advantage and makes it more difficult to prioritise the public interest,' the draft motion said. A separate proposal from the Electrical Trades Union to overhaul the way gender quotas are calculated in Victorian Labor's preselections, previously revealed by The Age, has been withdrawn after it caused consternation that the number of Labor women elected to parliament could go backwards. Other draft motions circulated before the state conference include a proposal to reform the 'undemocratic' municipal voting system in the City of Melbourne, where businesses get two votes. The Australian Workers Union is also calling on the government to abolish its public sector wages cap. Loading The Rail, Tram and Bus Union motion on the metropolitan train network calls for an independent inquiry into the current contract to identify gaps in the government's knowledge. It would also review how confidentiality rules built into the franchise agreement hinders oversight and collaboration between the government and the operator, 'with the aim of strengthening the state's position and improving public transport outcomes'. The findings and recommendations of that inquiry should be reflected in the next tender process, expected to begin soon, the union wrote, to guarantee ongoing access to operational data.
The Age
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Age
Transport authority to sit down with train drivers over C-Series concerns
The Public Transport Authority will host a workshop with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, train drivers and C-Series train manufacturer Alstom in the coming weeks, after more than 300 drivers expressed serious concerns about the comfort and braking ability of the locally made trains. A union survey of train drivers found 93.7 per cent thought the trains were not fit for traffic when they started taking passengers, while 82.8 per cent reported 'braking inconsistencies' like 'reduction in braking effort, loss of braking effort, surging'. More than 97.7 per cent also reported inadequate air-conditioning in the cabins and 82.5 per cent said the problems affected their mental wellbeing. More than 79 per cent want the government to suspend railcar delivery until the issues were addressed. The opposition pounced on the survey, saying it raised questions about the safety of the trains given the concerns around braking. A PTA spokeswoman told WAtoday there were no braking issues on the C-Series train. 'The new railcars have excellent acceleration and braking features and are an improvement on the A and B-series railcar fleet,' she said. 'We expected there would be a period of adjustment when drivers began using the new trains and their enhanced features, and the PTA is committed to working with its drivers to take on board their feedback. 'Solutions have already been developed in response to other feedback from drivers. For example, a software update is being rolled out for the air conditioning system, and a trial of new driver seats is scheduled to commence shortly.
Sydney Morning Herald
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
Transport authority to sit down with train drivers over C-Series concerns
The Public Transport Authority will host a workshop with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, train drivers and C-Series train manufacturer Alstom in the coming weeks, after more than 300 drivers expressed serious concerns about the comfort and braking ability of the locally made trains. A union survey of train drivers found 93.7 per cent thought the trains were not fit for traffic when they started taking passengers, while 82.8 per cent reported 'braking inconsistencies' like 'reduction in braking effort, loss of braking effort, surging'. More than 97.7 per cent also reported inadequate air-conditioning in the cabins and 82.5 per cent said the problems affected their mental wellbeing. More than 79 per cent want the government to suspend railcar delivery until the issues were addressed. The opposition pounced on the survey, saying it raised questions about the safety of the trains given the concerns around braking. A PTA spokeswoman told WAtoday there were no braking issues on the C-Series train. 'The new railcars have excellent acceleration and braking features and are an improvement on the A and B-series railcar fleet,' she said. 'We expected there would be a period of adjustment when drivers began using the new trains and their enhanced features, and the PTA is committed to working with its drivers to take on board their feedback. 'Solutions have already been developed in response to other feedback from drivers. For example, a software update is being rolled out for the air conditioning system, and a trial of new driver seats is scheduled to commence shortly.
The Age
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Sydney's commuters are sick of delays regardless of who is to blame
If the NSW Labor government hopes commuters' memories are short, it is hopeful at best, deluded at worst. When public services fail, governments are in the firing line. Tuesday's peak hour chaos, which started as students were trying to get home from school and extended well into the commuter hour, will have seriously tested the patience of heavy rail users. It was a broken overhead live wire landing on the roof of a train in Sydney's west that caused the delays but that is irrelevant. Sydney's commuters are tired of delays, regardless of who is to blame. Only as recently as February, commuters were collateral damage in the bitter ongoing wages dispute between the state government and rail unions. Few will forget Valentine's Day this year, when Sydney experienced massive train delays and cancellations. The city was thrown into chaos as a significant number of train drivers and guards called in sick, according to Transport for NSW. The unions, however, maintained the absences were no more unusual than other Fridays. After an elongated industrial dispute, last minute-negotiations broke down when the government said it was blindsided by a union claim for a one-off $4500 sign-on bonus. 'I think the union is gaslighting Sydney,' NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said. The Rail, Tram and Bus Union was having none of it. They insisted that the bonus was a deal signed by the former Liberal transport minister David Elliott. It was a classic case of he said, she said. It was not the only major disruption on the city's rail network during the months-long dispute, but it had a big impact.
