Latest news with #busstrike
News.com.au
30-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Victorian commuters to be hit by another bus strike as the Transport Workers Union continues their industrial action
Massive strike action will shut bus routes across Victoria on Tuesday, with negotiations between union representatives and a bus operator at a standstill. The strike will impact routes serviced by bus operator CDC Victoria which includes services in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Mildura. While some routes will only be hit with less frequent buses, other will run no services at all. CDC bus routes won't run in Wyndham, Werribee, Altona and Geelong, while school buses will run as normal. Buses will run less frequently in Oakleigh, Elsternwick, Brighton, Sydenham, Sunshine, Essendon, Glenroy and Mildura. School buses in those areas will operate as usual. No buses, not even school buses, will run in Ballarat. This will affect students at 48 Ballarat schools. More information on specific routes can be found on the Public Transport Victoria website. Train, tram and bus services in other areas continue to run as normal. This is the third major strike by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) amid negotiations with CDC Victoria. A statement issued by the TWU said that the operator's current deal falls short on the union's core demands, which include drivers' safety, improved working conditions and fair pay. Bus operators CDC Victoria said in a message posted to their website that it sincerely apologises 'for the inconvenience to our passengers and the broader community'. The TWU's delegate from the CDC Tullamarine depot voiced the union's displeasure at the deal currently on the table. 'For the hard work that we do, the current offer is a definite slap in the face,' Holmes said. 'We don't like disrupting our passengers. But unfortunately, we've been pushed to this point to make CDC listen.' The union has urged CDC Victoria to come back to the table and act quickly to stop further disruptions.
ABC News
15-06-2025
- ABC News
Bus drivers' strike halts services in parts of Melbourne and regional Victoria for 24 hours
Bus drivers have gone on strike in Victoria for the second time as part of an enterprise bargaining dispute. About 600 drivers for public transport operator CDC Victoria are in the midst of a 24-hour strike. No buses will run on CDC routes in Melbourne's west, including Wyndham Vale and Sunshine, Tullamarine in Melbourne's north, and Oakleigh in the city's south-east, as well in the regional cities of Geelong, Ballarat and Mildura. Late last month, 1,300 drivers from CDC and operator Dysons took part in what the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) said was the largest bus strike in VIctoria's history, shutting down one-third of the state's bus routes and charter services. The union said Dysons had since progressed its negotiations, but matters remained unresolved with CDC, resulting in a strike that began at 3am today and will last until tomorrow morning. "Bus drivers, like everybody in Victoria at the moment, are struggling under the cost-of-living crisis," TWU organiser Sam Lynch told ABC Radio Melbourne. "Their wages have not gone up with inflation over the last five to 10 years. "The offer that's currently on the table is just absolutely nowhere near resolving that." Mr Lynch said the drivers did not take strike action lightly. "Bus drivers don't want to be impacting the community like this," he said. "They like what they do, they like driving buses and getting people where they need to go, but unfortunately we are not getting the offer that we need to get from CDC in order to resolve this." The ABC has contacted CDC Victoria for comment. Mr Lynch said the drivers would take further strike action if the negotiations did not progress. Meanwhile, a tram derailment has caused early-morning disruptions in Kew, in Melbourne's east. A tram came off the rails on High Street at the Kew Junction at about 5am, cutting services along routes 48 and 109. The Department of Transport said it was caused by a fault with the rail. There were no passengers on board at the time. The driver was not hurt.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Stagecoach drivers begin six week strike as pay dispute rolls on
Bus drivers in the West of Scotland are beginning a six week strike against their employers in an escalation of an ongoing pay than 400 Stagecoach drivers at depots in Ayr, Arran, Ardrossan and Kilmarnock will not return to work until 21 July, with the operator running a limited service as a Unite union said the action was due to the company not offering any improvement on a "simply unacceptable" 4% offer from last said any pay offer had to preserve the viability of bus services in the area. Why are Stagecoach drivers on strike? Unite previously held three separate 24 hour strikes in May and June, but the latest action escalates the dispute by running consecutively for six union has claimed the drivers involved are among the poorest paid across Stagecoach's UK operations. Siobhan McCready, an industrial officer at Unite, said the most recent Stagecoach offer had strings attached to it. She stated: "The drivers are being asked to fund a pay rise by working longer hours, taking longer unpaid breaks and losing a week of annual leave."This is simply unacceptable, and it will not be tolerated by Unite."Ms McCready added that the prolonged action could be ended if Stagecoach listened to workers. Limited Stagecoach services Stagecoach said passengers should check its website for updates to services throughout the in Cumbernauld and Dumfries and Galloway are unaffected by the industrial action. The company said it would aim to keep as many services running by working with drivers from other companies.A spokesperson said: "Regrettably, the industrial action will disrupt our services and inconvenience our customers."We're working hard to minimise the impact of this disruption, but unfortunately, the limited services we're running will affect customers travelling in and around Ayrshire."The company previously stated it was committed to reaching a "fair and sustainable agreement – one that supports our employees while ensuring the long-term viability of our services across west Scotland." The previous one day strikes proved controversial after Unite claimed members were told by Stagecoach to stay away from picket lines as working staff may be McCready claimed the company had been using CCTV at depots to monitor picket insisted it had simply advised employees that any industrial action "should be carried out peacefully and within the law".In April Unite said it would consider legal action against Stagecoach after the company said it would cancel bus drivers' holiday dates during planned threat was later dropped due to talks resuming in an attempt to solve the dispute. This is a local dispute of national is a confrontation between a major trade union and part of a transport giant. For both sides, there are high one day strikes over the past fortnight have not brought a resolution to the pay towards six weeks of continuous strike action is a big escalation and represents the kind of industrial action which is now relativity represents a willingness by the workers to make a big sacrifice in their battle for a better pay offer. Unite the Union is prepared to support them through any will support for the strike be maintained? How will Stagecoach and its customers respond to ongoing disruption?Generally industrial disputes are settled by compromise. Neither side gets everything they those compromises usually require one side to blink first.
CBC
05-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Transit service in Durham region to end early Friday ahead of potential strike
Bus service in Durham region will end early Friday night as bus drivers prepare to walk off the job at midnight. Unifor Local 222, which represents workers at Durham Regional Transit, will be in a legal strike position as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 7. The union and transit agency have been in collective bargaining negotiations since March 31, but haven't been able to reach an agreement, says an update from Durham Regional Transit posted to its website. To prepare for a potential service disruption if transit workers go on strike, the transit agency says it will end bus service by 11 p.m. Friday. If a strike doesn't happen, regular bus service will resume Saturday. The Durham Region Transit Commission is expected to present a final offer to the bargaining committee on Thursday, but the union is not confident it will be enough to deter strike action, Unifor said in a news release. Wages are a key sticking point in the contract negotiations, with the union arguing that transit workers in surrounding "905-area code" municipalities like Mississauga and Brampton earn up to $5 more per hour than Durham Region Transit employees for doing the same work, despite working in communities with similar population sizes and growth projections. "We are fighting tirelessly to close this unjust wage gap and secure a fair contract that recognizes the hard work, dedication and professionalism of DRT members," said Unifor Local 222 President Jeff Gray in the Unifor news release. Members voted 98 per cent in support of taking strike action, if necessary, on May 21, the news release says.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dozens of bus services cancelled as drivers strike in pay dispute
More than 40 bus services have been cancelled across Ayrshire as bus drivers stage the first strike in six weeks of planned action over a pay dispute. Bus operator Stagecoach apologised to passengers and listed 41 services which had been cancelled on Monday, with dozens more across the west of Scotland running to a limited timetable. Stagecoach said the industrial action by more than 400 Unite members 'will disrupt our services and inconvenience our customers'. ❗❗ Service disruption due to industrial action Ayrshire ❗❗ We've made some additional changes to our #Arran #Cumnock #Stewarton and #Kilmarnock services in Ayrshire. Find out more here: — Stagecoach West Scot (@StagecoachWScot) May 26, 2025 The firm added: 'We're working hard to minimise the impact of this disruption, but unfortunately, the limited services we're running will affect customers travelling in and around Ayrshire. 'We're very sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding.' Stagecoach said services in Ayrshire on Monday are being operated by drivers from other depots. Monday's strike will be followed by two further strike days on June 2 and 6, and then six weeks of continuous action starting on June 9 and lasting until July 21. Unite said previously around 430 Stagecoach drivers will take action after last minute pay talks did not lead to an improvement in an 'unacceptable' 4% pay offer previously rejected by members. The union said buses operating out of several depots in Ayr, Arran, Ardrossan and Kilmarnock servicing bus routes in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Glasgow, would be affected. Siobhan McCready, Unite industrial officer, said: 'Stagecoach West Scotland have not improved their pay offer in six months. 'The drivers are being asked to fund a pay rise by working longer hours, taking longer unpaid breaks and losing a week of annual leave. 'This is simply unacceptable, and it will not be tolerated by Unite.' She added: 'Widespread and prolonged industrial action is set to hit bus services across the west of Scotland because this company doesn't seem capable of listening to its workers. 'It's not right that the drivers are the lowest paid across the whole of the Stagecoach group. 'Our members deserve a fair rate and that's what we are determined to get for them.' Unite said members voted by 98% to take industrial action after rejecting the 4% pay offer which was tabled in November. A Stagecoach spokesperson previously said Ayrshire staff have rejected a two-year pay deal involving an increase to their hourly pay rate of 11.8%. The spokesperson added: 'We urge Unite to reconsider its position and return to the negotiating table. 'Our commitment remains to reach a fair and sustainable agreement – one that supports our employees while ensuring the long-term viability of our services across west Scotland.' The spokesperson added on Monday: 'Stagecoach is operating services across Ayrshire today, Monday May 26 on a reduced timetable, with some services unfortunately unable to operate due to industrial action. 'We're committed to keeping communities connected and apologise for any inconvenience caused. 'Customers are advised to check the latest updates on our website 'Normal bus services in the region will resume on Tuesday May 27.'
