Our campaigning is often done in public, and often involves mobilising members and supporters to take action. But it also can happen quietly - through letters, meetings and conversations, where we use research, analysis and our political clout to persuade decision-makers.
Over the past couple of years, a major focus of the National O ce has been doing this quiet, behind-the-scenes work on three important issues: the proposed introduction of mandatory in-cab video and audio monitoring, the e ectiveness of national rail safety laws, and the future of the intermodal rail freight sector. A few weeks ago we had significant wins on all of these issues – which you can read about on page 4. Our voice was heard at the highest level, and it was respected.
Another quiet achievement has been the RTBU’s acquisition of a Registered Training Organisation – see story on page 5. This acquisition will eventually enable workers across the country to have access to union-quality industry training, which will improve workplace safety outcomes while also giving RTBU members professional development opportunities.
This edition of Transport NOW highlights many other examples of how the RTBU is quietly delivering for members right around the country. The Victorian Branch, for example, has secured a vital jobs guarantee from the Victorian State Government over the introduction of a new public
transport ticketing system (page 15). The NSW Branch is participating in a Task Force looking at ways to improve bus services (page 16), and National O ce helped coordinate a delegation of RTBU members to Federal Parliament to meet with politicians to lobby for changes to workplace laws (page 8).
Of course, the nuts-and-bolts work of representing members in the workplace never stops either. Other stories show how RTBU members have been standing up against inappropriate use of body-worn cameras in WA (page 13), pressuring the media to be more respectful in its reporting of rail incidents in SA, and leading the May Day rallies in Queensland (pages 17, 18). And the story on the great stadium debate in Tasmania (page 12) shows how e ective public transport is essential to the operation of our cities.
Every time we produce this magazine, it reminds me of the enormous power that RTBU members can wield when they stand together. Our solidarity is, and always will be, our greatest strength.
The solidarity of members is critical to our Union’s success. We bring the power of our united, national all-grades unions to support individuals when they need it; we band together to negotiate better wages and conditions; and we use our leverage as a national union to campaign on policy issues.
A few weeks ago we had significant wins … our voice was heard at the highest level, and it was respected.
NATIONAL: Transport ministers reject in-cab surveillance and agree to rail safety review
NATIONAL: RTO purchase a gamechanger for rail, tram and bus workers
NATIONAL: What the federal budget means for workers
NATIONAL: Albos’s election souvenir
NATIONAL: RTBU members push to close labour hire loopholes
NATIONAL: Why Graham is backing The Voice
TAS: Stadium deal raises serious questions
WA: Body worn camerassafety or surveillance?
SA: Train drivers ‘disgusted’ by audio broadcasts
VIC: Members secure jobs guarantee for new ticketing system
NSW: Publicly-owned buses may have their day!
QLD: Labour day rallies celebrate the power of unions
SAFETY: New campaign for regional communities
INT: New York transit workers win better pay and respect
INT: France says take a train, not a plane
The Big Issues: To bring down inflation, we must bring down profits
What we’ve been reading: Bob Nanva’s inaugural speech to NSW Parliament
Delegate profile: Terry Joy maintains the rage
Federal, State and Territory Transport Ministers have again sent the O ce of the National Safety Regulator (ONRSR) back to the drawing board on its controversial proposal for mandatory in-cab video and audio monitoring.
National Secretary Mark Diamond said ONRSR had been trying to get Ministers to support its plan for in-cab recording devices for several years.
“The RTBU has consistently opposed in-cab video and audio monitoring,” Mark said.
“Trains cabs are not normal workplaces – they are mobile meal rooms, change rooms and spaces where workers have private conversations.
“The proposal from ONRSR went way beyond the sort of monitoring that workers are subject to in other parts of the transport sector – such as airline pilots or maritime o cials.
“Safety should never be used as a Trojan horse for workplace surveillance.”
The Infrastructure and Transport Minister’s Meeting (ITMM) in Perth during June also agreed to an RTBU proposal for a review of the Rail Safety National Law.
“This review will be an important opportunity to make sure our rail safety laws, and the rail safety regulator, are both fit-for-purpose,” Mark said. Mark said the Terms of Reference for the review should focus issues including:
» The transparency of ONRSR decisions and investigative processes;
» Considering whether the co-regulatory model is working appropriately;
» ONRSRS’s independence from industry; and
» Clarity around the overlap of RSNL and WHS laws.
Furthermore, ITMM also agreed to an RTBU request to bring forward the first review of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy to commence this calendar year.
“The global COVID-19 pandemic and flooding events across Australia during 2022 exposed serious vulnerabilities in the operation of our domestic and international supply chains,” Mark said.
“For example, rail had to pick up a greater proportion of the freight task when COVID a ected interstate truck movements, and when foreign ships stopped visiting Australian ports.
“But on the other hand, flood damage to the east-west rail corridor meant that communities in Western Australia, and the Northern Territory were temporarily cut-o from rail services, and reliant on road and air transport to move vital goods such as food and medicines.
“It is critical we maintain enough capacity across the di erence freight modes to provide back-up when these supply chain disruptions happen.”
The quality of training in the rail, tram and bus industries has long been a concern for the RTBU.
The inconsistent standard of training puts workplace safety at risk, while undermining the ability of workers to advance their own professional development.
But instead of waiting for someone else to fix the problem, the RTBU has decided to take the initiative by acquiring its own training provider. National Secretary Mark Diamond said the RTBU had agreed to purchase respected Victorian-based Registered Training Organisation Training Ahead Australia (TAA), and settlement was expected to occur on 1 August 2023. Mark said acquiring TAA would enable the RTBU to:
» Improve the quality of workplace training across our industries;
» Deliver medicals (Category 3 at first and then more later);
» Improve safety standards;
» Become a recruitment funnel for our industries;
» Deliver training to o cials, employees, delegates and HSRs; and
» In time, consider o ering free courses to all RTBU members who want to upskill or crossskill.
“Key personnel from TAA and the RTBU will meet over the coming weeks to develop a strategy for maximising TAA’s potential,” Mark said.
“This will include working out how we expand TAA’s footprint to cover to the rest of the country, expanding the medicals and courses TAA o ers, and considering whether to use a not-forprofit business model.”
Mark said the acquisition of TAA was a long-term project for the union and for members.
“We are hitting the ground running, but it will take a few years for TAA to scale up and truly become a national operation.
“One critical part of the expansion plan will be getting clauses negotiated into Enterprise Agreements to make sure members can access union-quality training at their workplace.
Mark said taking over an established RTO was a transformational project for the RTBU that would eventually change the way members interacted with their union.
“Over time, we hope that the RTBU will not only be viewed as a trade union, but also as members’ career progression and training partner for life,” Mark said.
“For example, as TAA grows, we will consider providing training opportunities for members to upskill or cross-skill within our industries free of charge.
“This is yet another example of how having a strong, unified national union can change the game for rail, tram and
The Federal Budget has delivered cost of living relief to workers, along with measures to get wages moving again.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers had a delicate path to tread – needing to help people manage rising prices without putting further pressure on inflation.
Some of the important cost-of-living measures in the Federal Budget included:
» A 15 per cent pay rise for aged care workers, most of whom are women providing frontline care to older Australians;
» Reducing the cost of medicines by allowing more than 300 Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines to be dispensed in greater amount;
» Expanding access to the Single Parenting Payment;
» Increasing the maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 15 per cent; and
» Expanding access to Paid Parental Leave, along with the Government’s existing commitment to increase Paid Parental Leave to 26 weeks by 2026.
ACTU President Michele O’Neil said that getting more people into work, and stimulating higher wages, were good for people and for the economy as a whole.
“The Government’s support of increases to the minimum wage and new laws that boost workers’ bargaining power and pay equity rights are crucial, but more urgent action is needed to lift wages in the care economy and the public sector and deliver stronger laws to combat wage theft and insecure work.
“The ACTU supports the cost-of-living measures in this budget, the historic improvements in Medicare and the commitment to gender equality
through making childcare more a ordable and extending supporting parents’ payments.”
The Federal Budget also provided funding for the establishment of a New Zero Authority. The Authority will work with all levels of government to ensure workers are supported as Australia moves to a clean energy economy.
National Secretary Mark Diamond said it was essential that transport workers were not forgotten by the Net Zero Authority.
“The transition to a net zero economy will have huge implications for workers in the coal supply chain,” Mark said.
“It’s good to see the Federal Government taking the issue of a ‘just transition’ seriously, but support measures cannot be limited to workers in the mining and the energy sectors – they must include workers in the supply chain as well.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has never hidden his love of transport, infrastructure, and winning elections, so he was thrilled to pick up a souvenir from the RTBU that combined all three!
National Secretary Mark Diamond recently presented the PM with a copy of a David Rowe cartoon from the Australian Financial Review that was published during the Federal election campaign.
The cartoon depicted a sleeping Scott Morrison in the driver’s cabin of a train, with frustrated passengers waiting for the train to get moving. An Information Board in the background showed that action on issues such as a federal integrity commission, climate change and COVID testing kits were all delayed - but unions and Albo were ‘on time’.
“The cartoon captured the sense that former Prime Minister Scott Morrison was asleep at the wheel, and leading a government with no plan and no vision,” Mark said.
“But importantly, it also captured the role that trade unions like the RTBU
played in setting the election agenda and mobilising workers.
“Albo will have the cartoon as a permanent reminder that RTBU members are not only essential workers who perform vital services, they are also a force to be reckoned with.”
While the ideal of equal pay for equal work may seem straightforward, achieving it remains a challenge.
One of the Albanese Labor Government’s election promises was to rein in the disingenuous use of labour-hire contracts - where some employers are exploiting the loopholes and using labour hire companies to deliberately undercut the wages and conditions they o er in their Enterprise Agreements.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has found that 84 per cent of workers on labour hire contracts don’t have access to paid leave entitlements, yet 81 per cent work full time.
The misuse of labour hire agreements is contributing to the fracturing workplaces by setting two or more sets of employment conditions, unfairly penalising some workers.
The proposed bill that is up for debate in Federal Parliament is not to outlaw labour hire companies, as there is genuine role for these companies in helping to deal with unexpected increases in demand, but is all about ensuring the fair use of labour hire. That’s why the RTBU headed to Parliament House to be on the forefront with the ACTU led delegation to meet with politicians to push the need for this bill to be passed.
Queensland member Margi Saunders-Row, along with Queensland Delegate Ben Refalo and Assistant National Secretary Shayne Kummerfeld, were representing the RTBU among the 50-plus delegation.
While some employers are pushing back against the bill citing that by law, they will have to pay workers with little knowledge and experience, Margi is the perfect example of why this is not the case.
Margi, who works as a terminal operator for a labour hire company, primarily shunting trains, was there
to share her experiences of working for a labour hire company - bringing a human face to the issue.
“I was working a full-time roster and leading the team, yet getting paid less than my team members that I had the responsibility of looking out for,” Margi said.
“At the time there were three di erent labour hire companies on site, [and] each labour hire company was on di erent rates.
“My company was in the middle level, and I was still less getting paid less than a colleague who directly worked for the company. He wasn’t even qualified as he was a trainee.”
On Day 1 of the two-day lobbying trip Margi met with MP’s Tony Zapier and Meryl Swanson, and was part of a group who met with the senate cross-bench. On Day 2 her group of six sat down with the Minister for Home a airs and Cyber Security Clare O’Neil MP, Minister for Defence Personnel & Minister for Veterans’ A airs Matt Keogh MP, Zaneta Mascarenhas MP, and Josh Wilson MP.
“All the meetings went above their expectations - the politicians were all really receptive to what we had to say and very engaged and interested in what’s going on,” Margi said.
“No resistance was met, [and] they were quite shocked after hearing us share all our experiences, how similar they were even though we’re from different industries. They said ‘we have to do something’.”
Overall Margi said the trip was well structured and organized, especially for the short period of time they had. They were able to achieve their goal of bringing real people who are experiencing these issues first-hand to be in the front of the minds of politicians.
“We put politicians there to represent us, and they can’t represent us accurately if they don’t know what is actually going on,” Margi said.
“Giving politicians a personal connection is how they get access to the information.”
When asked if it was a worthwhile cause, Margi absolutely agreed. She said she has gained a new appreciation for lobbying and the organising that goes on within unions.
Before joining the rail industry Margi worked in hospitality for 20 years, and there wasn’t a union presence in the small businesses she worked for.
Being new in the rail industry she didn’t really know what unions do, but after going on this trip she has been able to see the strength of the union, witness it first-hand and to contribute to union strength and power.
“It’s actually amazing being able to give people the voice to stand up and say ‘this isn’t quite right’, and knowing there is someone in your corner to back them.
“Overall it was a great experience, I’m really glad I did it, and feel honoured to be part of it.”
RTBU Delegate Graham Briggs explains why the upcoming referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is so important.
Q: Where did you grow up?
I was born in Shepparton raised in Blackburn South and attended an all-Aboriginal boarding school founded by my late Aunt Hyulls Maris MBE out in Healesville, called Worawa Aboriginal College.
Q: What do you do for work?
I am currently employed by Pro gramme Skilled Rail as a 2.2 (and nearly completed my 3.2 TFPC) and have lived in Tatura for the last 25 odd years.
Q: What does the Voice to Parliament represent to you and why is it so important?
For me, the Voice to Parliament would be a way for Aboriginal and Islander people to directly advise all levels of government about laws and poli cies that a ect their lives. It’s about drawing a line on the poor outcomes from the long legacy of failed programs and broken policies, and listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Things like incarceration and child removal, housing, health and educational outcomes. The Voice is about making sure that what happens in the Federal Parliament is going to be a positive step forward both in terms of us as a nation, but also the life outcomes for First Nations people in Australia.
Continued page 10
Continued from page 9
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is important for several reasons. First and foremost, it provides a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a direct say in the laws and policies that a ect their lives. This is particularly important given the history of dispossession, discrimination and marginalisation that Indigenous peoples have experienced in Australia.
Secondly, the Voice to Parliament would help to ensure that the government is held accountable for its actions and decisions with regards to Indigenous peoples. It would provide a mechanism for Indigenous people to monitor government policies and programs, and to provide feedback and advice on how these can be improved.
Thirdly, the Voice to Parliament would help to build greater understanding and awareness of Indigenous cultures and histories among the wider Australian population. By having a direct say in the workings of government, Indigenous people would be able to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions, and promote greater respect and recognition for their unique contributions to Australian society.
Overall, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is an important step towards reconciliation and healing, and towards building a more just and inclusive society for all Australians.
Q: Why is it so important that unions across Australia support the campaign?
It is important for unions across Australia to support the Voice to Parliament for several reasons.
Firstly, unions have a long history of fighting for social justice and workers’ rights, and supporting the Voice to Parliament is an extension of that tradition. Unions understand that Indigenous people have been historically marginalised and disenfranchised, and the Voice to Parliament is an opportunity to address this injustice.
Secondly, the Voice to Parliament is not just an Indigenous issue, it is an issue for all Australians. Unions represent a diverse range of workers across the country, and supporting the Voice to Parliament is an important step towards building a more inclusive and equitable society. By giving Indigenous people a greater say in the
decisions that a ect their lives, we can work towards a more just and democratic society for everyone.
Thirdly, unions can play a key role in advocating for the Voice to Parliament and raising awareness about its importance among their members and the broader community. Unions have a strong network and a powerful voice, and they can use this influence to promote the need for greater Indigenous representation in the political process. Overall, supporting the Voice to Parliament is an important way for unions to demonstrate their commitment to social justice and equality, and to work towards a more inclusive and democratic society for all Australians.
Q: How can other union members help out to ensure the campaign is successful?
There are several ways that union members across Australia can support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament:
1. Educate yourself: Take the time to learn about the history and ongoing struggles of Indigenous peoples in Australia. This will help you to understand why the Voice to Parliament is important and why it deserves your support.
2. Raise awareness: Talk to your union colleagues, friends and family about the need for greater Indigenous representation in the political process. Share information about the Voice to Parliament and why it is important.
3. Lobby your politicians: Write to your local MPs and Senators and urge them to support the Voice to Parliament. You can also participate in rallies and protests to put pressure on the Government to take action.
4. Support Indigenous-led campaigns: There are many Indigenous-led campaigns and organisations working towards greater political representation for Indigenous peoples. Consider donating money or volunteering your time to these groups.
5. Embrace reconciliation: Participate in reconciliation events and initiatives in your workplace and community. This can help to build greater understanding and respect for Indigenous cultures and histories, and create a more
inclusive and equitable society for all Australians.
Q: How will the Voice to Parliament change things for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
The Aboriginal Voice to Parliament is an important step towards repairing the past wrongs that have previously denied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples a voice in our society. For many decades, Indigenous peoples have been marginalised, discriminated against, and denied the right to self-determination. The Voice to Parliament provides a powerful mechanism for Indigenous peoples to have a direct say in the decisions that a ect their lives and communities.
Through the Voice to Parliament, Indigenous peoples will have the opportunity to provide feedback and advice on government policies and programs, and to monitor the Government’s progress in addressing the issues that are important to them. This will help to ensure that Indigenous peoples are not left behind and that their voices are heard and acted upon.
The Voice to Parliament is also an important step towards reconciliation and healing. It acknowledges the injustices of the past and recognises the ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous peoples today. By giving Indigenous peoples a greater say in the decisions that a ect their lives, the Voice to Parliament can help to build trust and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and promote greater understanding and awareness of Indigenous cultures and histories.
Overall, the Aboriginal Voice to Parliament is an important tool for repairing the past wrongs that have previously denied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples a voice in our society. It is a step towards building a more just, equitable and inclusive society for all Australians, and towards achieving reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Tasmanian politics has been thrown into chaos by the State Government’s controversial deal with the AFL to create a new Tasmania-based club, but only if the Tasmanian Government builds an expensive new roofed stadium on prime waterfront land in Hobart.
Ever since the deal was announced, Tasmania has been gripped by a debate over whether or not the stadium should go ahead.
At an estimated cost of $730 million, the stadium is a huge expense for a small state, especially when Tasmania already has two AFL-standard venues (York Park in Launceston and Bellerive Oval in Hobart).
Many people, including the State Labor Opposition, believe the State Government should have negotiated a better deal.
There are plenty of other problems facing the State Government – including a housing crisis and a public health system that is under enormous pressure; some might say disintegrating. Money for the new stadium will inevitably place pressure on the state budget, and draw resources away from these other important priorities. At the same time, however, the stadium will transform the Hobart
waterfront, and be a tourism drawcard for the city.
Stadium proponents often cite the example of the redeveloped Adelaide Oval, which has become one of Australia’s most successful and popular sporting venues.
And then there’s Tasmania’s deeply-held love of footy. The state has a long and proud football tradition, and the promise of a Tasmanian-based club in the country’s national league would be realisation of a long-held dream for many Tasmanians. But there is another question about the stadium that is directly relevant to RTBU members – how are people going to get to and from the stadium. Hobart already has a growing problem with tra c congestion, with a recent report by the Australian Automobile Association finding that Hobart is the fourth-most congested city in the country. Putting the stadium in
the middle of the city will only make things worse.
Currently, buses provide the only public transport alternative to cars (apart from a small ferry service between the city and the eastern shore), but the disused Northern Suburbs Rail Corridor could be used for a light rail connection between the waterfront and the northern suburbs, potentially moving up to 20,000 people an hour. The State Government’s preference, however, is for the corridor to be used for a so-called ‘rapid bus service’. Few details about the proposed rapid bus have been publicly announced, but it has emerged that government plans for the rapid bus have the route leaving the old rail corridor at New Town and travelling into the CBD along existing roads – terminating at the Elizabeth Street bus mall (a ten-minute walk from the stadium site at Macquarie Point).
Under questioning in Parliament, the State Government also revealed that publicly-owned bus operator Metro is unlikely to run the rapid bus service –instead it would be contracted out to a private company.
Tasmanian Branch Secretary Ric Bean said that if the stadium was to go ahead, then it must be supported by a comprehensive transport plan.
“People will come to the stadium from all directions, so the transport plan needs to accommodate journeys from the northern suburbs, the eastern shore, and from the Kingborough region,” Ric said.
“And it can’t be a token e ort – it needs to provide a proper solution to the genuine transport problems that will be caused by putting a 23,000-seat stadium in the heart of Hobart.”
Ric said the stadium transport plan must meet five basic objectives:
1. Reach: It must provide public transport options for everyone in the Greater Hobart region
2. Scaleable: it needs to be able to be scaled up so that it can eciently move large crowds of over 20,000 people.
3. Direct: It must take people directly to and from the stadium – not to and from the CBD bus mall;
4. Integrated ticketing: It must make use of integrated ticketing, so that every person with a ticket to the event can also use public transport; and
5. Government-operated: services should be operated by Metro wherever possible, not outsourced to the private sector.
“If the stadium goes ahead then it must be a people’s stadium, and very element must be designed to benefit the public, not to line the pockets of corporate interests - which seems to happen so often with this government,” Ric said.
WA Transit O cers have received mixed messages about a proposed trial of body-worn cameras.
While Worksafe WA claims it’s about keeping O cers safe, the Public Transport Authority seems more focused on gathering evidence to assist prosecution of violent o enders. But many members are concerned there is another, much darker, motivation. They suspect any captured video may be used to discipline O cers on the frontline, doing the important work of keeping the traveling public safe.
O cers have good reason to be sceptical. A recent study of eight police forces from all over the world found cameras actually increased assaults on O cers.
Another study by the Western Australian Police Force found camera use didn’t reduce assaults on O cers. In fact assaults on WA Police O cers are at a 10 year high- up 10 per cent in just the past 12 months.
The same study found using cameras did result in evidence-gathering benefits by producing cost and time efficiencies when taking field interviews. Be that as it may, there are practical di culties to consider also – the cameras are too heavy for the currently-issued O cers’ vests.
WA Branch Secretary Josh Dekuyer says he also is concerned about increased scrutinisation.
“It’s a highly skilled but di cult and stressful job dealing with conflict - you can be threatened, abused, or spat on at any moment. Plenty of members get injured making arrests,” Josh said.
“Yet these same O cers are subject to a Code of Conduct written for customer service-style interactions.
“The Code of Conduct as it is written is not fit-for-purpose for a law enforcement role.
“And we are told cameras will act as a ‘deterrent to violent o enders’, violent people might de-escalate because they know they are being recorded.
“If there is evidence-based data to show us this is the case - then show us.
“Our members are reluctant to have another expectation placed upon them.
“We support anything to keep Ocers safer on the job, but we are yet to be convinced these cameras will do that, especially given the already extensive CCTV system across the PTA’s network.
“If a trial of this technology is to proceed, we would insist it is carefully designed to ensure these cameras are there to protect Transit O cers, not keep them under surveillance.”
*For more background click on the following links to relevant studies and statistics in WA, and Worldwide
Members in South Australia have demanded media outlets stop broadcasting emergency radio calls from distressed drivers in news stories about rail accidents and fatalities.
More than 500 people signed a petition sent to Channel Seven News Adelaide expressing concern about the use of the state’s train radio system audio in stories, including one incident where a woman died in September and a subsequent accident involving a child in February.
SA/NT Branch Secretary
Darren Phillips said use of the audio in two broadcasts distressed many train drivers in South Australia and across the country.
“I understand the public interest in reporting stories to raise awareness about safety around trains,” Darren said. “But including audio of train drivers from the scene of distressing accidents goes beyond that and risks becoming gratuitous.
“It’s not just traumatising for the driver involved, but deeply upsetting for the family whose loved one has died or been left seriously injured.
“The radio system is not there for news, it’s there for drivers to communicate in the case of emergencies.
“The broadcasting of emergency calls makes drivers second-guess themselves and risks interfering with how they respond to life-threatening situations.”
Nearly 180 Adelaide train drivers were among more than 500 signatories to the petition sent to the network in March.
“We express our concerns that Channel Seven News Adelaide believes it is
acceptable to air train drivers’ radio emergency calls when there is an incident or accident on the rail network,” the petition said.
“The driver or any other rail worker who is involved in a traumatic event is in the course of their duties using the radio to communicate critical safety information, while often under duress.
“To use this for the purpose of reporting a news story is unnecessary. It can cause further harm to rail workers experiencing a traumatic event and could further cause harm to their mental health.
“This extends to other rail employees who are alarmed, shocked or disgusted
by this disgusting behaviour of Channel Seven.
“Further to this the families of the injured or deceased person could be a ected. We strongly urge you to refrain from recording and using emergency radio calls in your reporting of rail incidents.”
Channel Seven responded by saying scanner transmissions had been used by the media for decades. It agreed, however, to convey RTBU members’ concerns to its production team and remind employees to think carefully before using them.
The network said decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis.
including audio of train drivers from the scene of distressing accidents goes beyond [public interest] and risks becoming gratuitous
RTBU Members in Victoria have secured a State Government guarantee that no frontline sta will lose their jobs when a new public transport ticketing system is rolled out.
Victorian Branch Secretary Vik Sharma, o cials and delegates in June secured assurances from Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll about job security for members who perform ticketing functions and roles with metro, V/Line and Yarra Trams.
“This important win could not have come at a more crucial time in the enterprise agreement negotiations, and sends a clear message to all the operators that the RTBU and the state government consider job security a top priority,” Vik said.
During a meeting with the Minister, Delegates were open and frank about the threat the modern ticketing system posed to members’ jobs. The new system will start rolling out in 2024 and let passengers pay with bank cards and using smart devices.
The RTBU provided direct examples from the shop floor about the importance of members’ roles. This advocacy secured:
» A guarantee that no jobs will be lost in the transition to the modernising ticketing system;
» A commitment for proper training and support in moving to the new system;
» A commitment to engage with frontline sta representatives about the design of the upgraded system.
The Minister wrote to Vik providing assurances that the Department of Transport and Planning, and ticket supplier Conduent Business Services, would work with union representatives about the upgraded system.
“I want to assure you that the new ticketing system will not result in a reduction or replacement of frontline sta such as customer service sta , station sta , authorised o cers and conductors,” Mr Carroll wrote in the letter dated June 15.
“Our aim is to support our frontline sta to continue to provide high-quality service to our customers. Employee training and support will be provided as the myki system modernises.
“I value your perspective on the impact of changes to the ticketing system for your members.”
The fight continues to restore the Retired Employees Travel Pass for long-serving public transport workers – a much-loved condition that was removed by the former Kennett Government for employees who commenced work on the newly-privatised metropolitan train and tram system in 1999.
Vik Sharma said the RTBU was pushing the Victorian Government to change the policy so all public transport workers who do 20 years on the
job, regardless of their start date, are entitled to the travel pass.
“It is not a simple pass for our members – it is a badge of honour they must receive in recognition of giving two decades of their lives to public transport.
“We cannot allow Je Kennett to continue to hurt our workers in 2023.”
A resolution supporting the right of all public transport workers to be eligible for the Retirement Travel Pass was passed by the Victorian State Labor conference last month.
Vik said restoration of the travel pass was a part of all logs of claims for the current public transport Enterprise Agreement negotiations.
“Members who have already retired after doing 20 overs and have been knocked back by the PTV will absolutely not be forgotten and are part of this campaign,” Vik said.
We cannot allow Jeff Kennett to continue to hurt our workers in 2023
There may be a clue to the direction the new NSW Labor Government wants to take the state’s bus fleet in the date it established its Bus Industry Taskforce: May Day.
The Taskforce, chaired by former State Transit Authority CEO John Lee and including NSW Tram and Bus Division Secretary David Babineau , Mick Pieri (TWU), and Joanna Quilty (NSW Council of Social Service), is due to provide its report next year. And there is plenty to report on says David Babineau, with the Liberal’s bus privatisation agenda leaving NSW a legacy of service cancellations and driver shortages.
But the problems run much deeper.
“Before COVID the company said to drivers going down Goulburn Street to Circular Quay ‘don’t stop for passengers, just ghost them’ because a customer complaint is a lesser fine than an on-time-running fine,” David said.
“So you leave the passengers in the rain to get the bus to the destination on schedule.
“It was just crazy, but that’s the kind of perversion of priorities you get when you privatise.
“KPI’s are a zero sum game, if you’ve already failed, why would you pay 100 drivers overtime to improve the service if you’re still going to get fined?
“If I’m painting a fence and someone says ‘you’ve missed a bit so I’m not going to pay you’, I’m not going to finish the fence am I?”
David said due to the driver shortage and the new Taskforce, employers and the new Minns Labor Government are finally listening to drivers.
“Now the conversation has started, we want to talk about bus design and procurement,” he said.
“And we need to get them to see the stupidity of taking away driver’s Opal cards.”
When the Liberal Government privatised the bus services in Sydney they
moved to take away the Opal cards issued to drivers, which allowed them $50 a week in public transport travel - e ectively taking up to $2,600 a year out of driver’s pockets.
“We need to get that issue resolved once and for all, then we might have a chance of recruiting and more importantly keeping drivers,” David said.
“We need to end the ‘two tier caste system’ where drivers who used to work in the public system have five weeks leave rather than four, and 15 sick days not 10, and have di erent penalty rates. It’s just wrong.
“And we need to get drivers a decent pay rise as this will put bums in drivers’ seats as well.”
After the tragic June 11th coach crash in the Hunter Valley which claimed 10 lives, the new Bus Industry Taskforce - which also includes Matt Threlkeld (BusNSW Executive Director), and Darriea Turley (President of Local Government NSW) - had safety expert Darren Lane added to its ranks.
Union members across the country have again taken to the streets in the annual May Day rallies.
Some of the biggest events were in Queensland, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Queensland Premier Annastacia Paluszczuk at the Brisbane rally.
“May Day is a celebration of all that working people have achieved, by combining in trade unions to organise collectively - because individuals can’t possibly achieve the sort of justice that we need,” Albo said in his May Day speech.
“Justice in wages and conditions, justice in gender pay equity, justice when it comes to safety in the workplace, so that all those who go to work to drive our economy can come home safely.”
As always, RTBU members were front and centre, proudly flying the flag for rail, tram and bus workers, and celebrating the power of collectivism.
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Continued from page 17
Long-standing RTBU Member Laurie Anno, pictured above, was also presented with a Certificate of Appreciation for his contribution to the QCU artwork for the event.
Queensland Branch Secretary Peter Allen said Laurie was a legend of the Queensland Labour movement.
“Laurie also designed our fantastic RTBU shirts. His designs don’t just look great, they also tell an important visual story about connection to country, and the power of solidarity.”
The TrackSAFE Foundation’s annual Rail Safety Week is on again from 7-13 August, with over 100 organisations uniting to remind the community to act responsibility when near, or on, the rail network
Now in its 18th year, Rail Safety Week brings together rail operators, police, government and community organisations through a wide range of organising activities such as media events, safety demonstrations, webinars There are also events involving schools and community groups to raise awareness about staying safe around rail.
TrackSAFE Executive Director Heather Neil said that in addition to existing campaign materials focussed on rail safety in metropolitan areas, this year TrackSAFE was rolling out some fresh regional-focussed content based on the theme Expect the Unexpected. Watch out for Trains!
“Collisions and near collisions at railway crossings are ongoing issues that put lives at risk, severely disrupt rail services and tra c flow, and have serious impacts on train drivers and other rail workers, along with the wider community,” Heather said.
“Expect the Unexpected. Watch out for Trains is a new campaign to remind locals and travellers that trains can come any time of day or night, including when we are least expecting them.”
For more information about Rail Safety Week go to https://tracksafefoundation.com.au/event/rail-safety-week/
New York’s bus and subway workers are set to receive a 9.8 per cent pay rise over the next three years, while stopping proposed cuts to their benefits, thanks to tough talking by their union and the support of the global union movement.
After intense negotiations, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) of America reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
In addition to the pay increases, the workers won a USD $4,000 essential worker cash bonus payment and stood firm against the company’s attempts to double healthcare deductions.
They also guaranteed workers’ and passengers’ safety by blocking MTA proposals to expand one person train operation (OPTO) on the subway, saving thousands of conductor jobs.
“Our heartiest congratulations go out to the TWU members who fought so hard for a fair and decent agreement,” said International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) President Paddy Crumlin.
“It wasn’t just a negotiation – it was a fight in the down-and-dirty war against corporate greed, and they won every battle. In doing so they ensured that Local 100 members at MTA will work under a contract that provides dignity, respect and better working conditions.”
Paddy also paid tribute to TWU International President John Samuelsen, who is a powerful voice in the New York and United States workers’ struggle.
The union successfully resisted an MTA bid to change overtime rules so that workers would only receive payments if they exceeded 40 hours a week. Members retain the existing right to overtime as soon as they go beyond eight hours in a day. Another MTA scheme was also beaten back
- the Authority had wanted to reduce the paid vacation period for new hires. Union negotiators had another significant win, ensuring that medical coverage will be provided to the families of workers who died after contracting Covid-19.
“After everything that New York’s bus and subway workers went through to keep transport moving during the pandemic, it’s a disgrace that the MTA wanted to make such a big fight of this; that they wanted workers to pay for management’s failings,” said ITF General Secretary. Stephen Cotton.
“The ITF was proud to stand in solidarity with TWU members and we’re delighted they have remained steadfast to achieve this outstanding result. They are an inspiration to us all.”
Why would you take a short haul flight when you can take a train instead?
The French Government believes the benefits of rail over air travel are becoming clearer, especially in light of growing concerns over the environmental impact of transport-related greenhouse emissions.
In fact, France has now banned shorthaul flights on routes that could be taken in less than 2 ½ hours by train. The ban came about following a recommendation from President Macron’s Citizens’ Convention on Climate in 2019.
The Citizen’s Climate Convention, which comprised 150 members of the French public, initially proposed scrapping plane journeys that could be taken by train in under 4 hours – but
this was wound back after lobbying from some regions and major airlines. The ban a ects three particular routes: those connecting Paris-Orly to Lyon, Nantes and Bordeauxalthough Air France stopped services on those routes in 2020 as part of a deal with the French Government for COVID-related financial support. Other routes that could have fallen within the laws included RoissyCharles-de-Gaulle to Lyon, and Lyon to Marseille, however these were given exemptions due to their status of those airports as ‘hubs’ for long-haul flights. Critics of the laws claim they are just symbolic, but RTBU Assistant National Secretary Shayne Kummerfeld said the laws were a sign of things to come.
“Countries now have binding targets to reach under the UN’s Paris Agreement. They need to find ways to bring
down their carbon emissions, and transport has an important role to play in that.
“Air travel is a carbon-intensive mode of travel, so rail is extremely well-placed to do more of the heavy lifting for travel between major cities, particularly in Europe.”
Shayne said the French laws also showed why an East Coast High Speed Rail network was inevitable in Australia.
“The Sydney to Melbourne flight route was the fifth busiest in the world in 2022.
“Moving a just a fraction of the passenger tra c on that route to a more sustainable mode like rail would deliver significant carbon savings. “The case for High Speed Rail is only going to get more compelling in the future.”
When Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced the appointment of Michele Bullock as new Governor of the Reserve Bank, he lauded her “ fresh perspective.” That’s a stretch, given that Ms. Bullock has worked at the RBA since 1985. And no-one expects her to change course on interest rates, which the RBA hiked 12 times since last May.
If indeed Ms. Bullock brings fresh eyes to this role, let’s hope she uses them to review a broader range of the factors causing inflation – rather than focusing myopically on the dangers of wage growth, like her predecessor Dr Philip Lowe.
From the outset of the current inflation, Lowe focused squarely on labour costs as the biggest worry –while rejecting that record corporate profit margins had anything to do with high prices.
For example, last month Lowe warned a Sydney business audience that rising labour costs were a clear and present danger in the fight against inflation.
The 3000-word speech did not mention the word “profit” once. Previously, Lowe had dismissed outright concerns that record-high profits for Australian corporations since 2021 were connected to the simultaneous surge in inflation.
In short, Philip Lowe looked only to one side of the tracks in analysing what caused inflation – and what to do about it. That put him out of step with other central banks and many international institutions. They’ve produced volumes of research confirming higher
profits accounted for the largest share of inflation since the pandemic. These organizations are not wild-eyed radicals: they include the OECD, the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank for International Settlements, the European Central Bank and the European Commission. Here in Australia, studies from the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work confirmed the same thing happened here.
This evidence that record profits, not undue wage growth, fueled postCOVID inflation sits uncomfortably with economic orthodoxy, which asserts by rote that that inflation always results from overheated labour markets, excess demand, and rising wages.
Will Ms Bullock more honestly consider this evidence, and adjust her policy approach accordingly? Her recent speech (just before being appointed Governor) claiming that unemployment must rise to reduce inflation does not inspire hope.
This is not just a matter of intellectual debate or rhetorical finger-pointing. Understanding what causes inflation is vital to properly designing the remedy. International agencies are now grappling with how to shrink those record profit margins in order to both calm inflation and restore real wages (which fell sharply since 2021 in most countries, including Australia).
As ECB President Christine Lagarde recently put it, real wages can gradually recover in coming years – but only if profit margins decline. If they don’t, she warned, and businesses hang onto unusually large profits, then interest rates must remain higher for longer, with resulting economic and social pain.
International experience is now confirming the importance of lower profits to lower inflation. In the U.S., for example, profits eased 8% over the last six months, as inflation fell from 9% to 3%. Wage growth has hardly changed at all.
In Spain, an unconventional combination of policies – including price caps, excess profit taxes, and subsidies to low-income consumers and renters – has kept profits at or below historic norms. Spain’s inflation fell last month to just 1.9%, the lowest in Europe. Canada’s experience is especially relevant to Australia, since it is also a major resource exporter. Profits there surged (like Australia) to record highs as inflation took o . They’ve since retreated by over 20%. Inflation has slowed in step: to 3.4% at last reading. An excess profits tax on banks, and special taxes on cash payouts by energy companies, helped.
The U.K. experience is the polar opposite. There, profits have kept soaring as companies exploit desperate consumers and still-fractured post-Brexit supply chains. Profits grew 17% in the last year, three times faster than wages. Not coincidentally, inflation remains at a painful 8.7%.
Australia, unfortunately, is closer to the British end of this spectrum. Despite falling world energy and commodity prices, corporate profits grew another 13% in the last year, faster than wages. The profit share of GDP remains at an all-time record high of 29%. Real wages are still falling. And inflation is still high: 7% last quarter How do we get profit margins back down, supporting both lower inflation and a restoration of real wages? Many policies would help: price caps on essential products (like energy and rents), taxes on excess profits, support for wages to catch up, and limits on corporate concentration.
And some of the needed moderation in profits will likely occur naturally – for both good reasons (restoration of pandemic-damaged supply chains) and bad (looming recession).
Most of those policies are beyond the remit of the RBA, requiring instead a multi-dimensional e ort across government. But so long as the RBA denies that profits are even relevant, momentum to develop and enact that broader anti-inflation agenda will be stifled.
Ms Bullock could turn over a new leaf in RBA thinking by casting her “fresh” eyes more widely over both macroeconomic data and cumulating international research. And she should then acknowledge that the Bank’s single-minded focus on suppressing wages has been neither fair, nor e ective.
Jim Stanford is Economist and Director of the Centre for Future Work.
Barely months later, that company reported a half-year profit of $307 million to the Australian Stock Exchange.
The CEO at the time was on the record as saying that his objective was simply to “raise the temperature under the unions”. Unions do not want an end to business in the way that some want an end to unions.
I will not soon forget the words of a former New South Wales Minister who gleefully proclaimed of transport services:
Former National Secretary and RTBU Life Member Bob Nanva was elected to the NSW Legislative Council earlier this year, and his gave his inaugural speech to Parliament on 22 June. Here is an edited excerpt of what Bob had to say: There is often an unflattering caricature of union o cials that is too often drawn by critics from an image scarcely reflecting reality—a reality of sitting in the homes of grieving families that have lost a loved one at work and dedicating oneself to ensuring it never happens again, or being entrusted by thousands of workers to protect the freedom that comes from a fair and secure livelihood.
I felt the enormity of those responsibilities as the former National Secretary of the Rail Tram and Bus Union and Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
So, too, do my many great mates from a liated trade unions that are here this evening. It is a responsibility felt more acutely under an unnecessarily adversarial industrial relations system, which too often entertains and rewards ideological obsession.
I am reminded of the Aurizon matter that I was intimately involved with while at the union, setting a legal precedent to unilaterally terminate enterprise agreements, in that case resulting in the reduction of up to $20,000 in pay and the removal of a host of negotiated conditions for around 5,000 workers, all with the stroke of a pen.
We would all do well to exercise more perspective and circumspection on matters as important as the freedom of workers from deprivation, danger and insecurity …
The collectivist ethos expressed by the trade union movement has had an enormous influence on the egalitarian character of our society.
On many occasions I stood proudly on the shop floor and the picket line with delegates and members to fight the wages cap, a blunt instrument which failed to appreciate their work. I now stand in this Parliament to finish that fight.
For years I would see those same frontline workers disrespected, their jobs systematically debased, diminished and devalued, full-time jobs converted to part-time jobs, part-time jobs converted to casual jobs, casual jobs turned into so called “gigs”.
“They will all be private. In 10 to 15 years’ time, government will not be in the provision of transport services. It will be all on-demand, private sector driven, underpinned by innovation in technology”.
A government shamelessly privatising its way out of service delivery, and the language of “innovation” and “disruption” to cloak the reintroduction of feudal models of work where workers have no rights, have no security and compete against each other in a brutal race to the bottom.
It is unacceptable for corporate Australia to contort its way out of obligations to customers and workers through technicalities, rorts and loopholes. It is unconscionable when a government does it.
I will call it out when I see it. I will also work to protect our public assets and reform an industrial relations system which for too long has stifled the e ectiveness of our essential services.
See the full text of Bob’s speech on the RTBU website at https://www.rtbu.org.au/bob_ nanva_s_inaugural_speech_to_the_ nsw_legislative_council.
It was school kids who gave Terry Joy the most trouble when he started driving buses in Fremantle in 1982.
“We had 140 bus routes you had to memorise but sometimes you’d be unsure so you’d ask the regular passengers, the little brats would try and tell you the wrong way,” he laughs.
Terry has come a long way since duelling with school kids in his 20s - and taken on much more dangerous foes.
In 1996 WA Premier Richard ‘Tricky Dicky’ Court began privatising the buses in Perth.
“He installed a CEO from New Zealand who told us we should all take a pay cut from $16 to $11 an hour, and maybe the government sector could win a contract when they put all the 10 depots out to tender,” he says.
“Of course the Government had no intention of getting the contract so they tricked the workforce into taking a $5.13 an hour pay cut, it was disgraceful.
“It just decimated the industry. In WA if you’re a professional driver and things get rough you just go and drive in the iron ore mines, and that’s what a lot of people did.”
Terry soldiered on and in 2000 he and the union took on their private operator over underpaid penalty rates - the Arbitration Commission ordered that everyone should get between $2,500 and $4,000 in backpay.
“That was a sweet day,” laughs Terry. In the next few years Terry helped others with unfair dismissal claims, and the company went after him for his troubles.
“They gave me the worst bus in the fleet for six months on the shuttle
run to Kwinana, they’d have someone checking every day that I manually wound my numbers down after finishing the route, but I just played their little game,” he smiles.
Unfortunately for management Terry was one of the few people with the experience and capacity to be promoted to the role of tra c controller. But the challenges for Terry continued.
“One day a bloke walked in and said, ‘Terry these drivers are getting paid for a few hours while they wait to continue their shift, can we not pay them while they wait to go back on the clock?,” he recalls.
“I said ‘sure’, and I put my pen down and said ‘and you can take up where I left o ’. This bloke went white and said, ‘don’t be hasty Terry, it’s okay’. I had to laugh at that one!” he says.
In 2008 Terry became a train driver and a decade later began working closely with WA Branch Secretary Josh Dekuyer.
“Josh negotiated for a guy called Tony Beech to do a Work Value Review to see whether drivers were being paid an adequate wage for the work we
undertook - that got us a $76.40 base wage increase,” he says.
Soon after there was a terrible spate of people throwing themselves in front of trains - a scenario Terry faced a few times himself.
“These people were coming into the cab as the windscreens just caved in, drivers had been injured,” he says.
“The PTA reckoned it would take 18 months to fix the windscreens, [but] Josh just said, ‘No, it’ll take three’. I can’t speak highly enough of the bloke to be honest,” says Terry.
Terry is still fighting for justice - in the last three years he’s seen a dozen of his fellow train drivers leave for BHP and Rio Tinto in the Pilbara.
“It’s a pretty simple equation, invest in the skills of your workforce, pay people properly and make sure they have a manageable workload and they’ll stick around,” he says.
Terry says while the challenges continue he’s optimistic about the future.
“With Josh at the helm the union is getting healthier and healthier, he makes me proud to be a member.”
In WA if … things get rough you just go and drive in the iron ore mines, and that’s what a lot of people did
NATIONAL OFFICE
National Secretary: Mark Diamond
Email: rtbu@rtbu org.au
Tel: 02 8203 6099
NEW SOUTH WALES
Branch Secretary: Alex Claassens
Email: nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au
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Branch Secretary: Vik Sharma
rtbu@rtbuvic com.au
Tel: (03) 8630 9100
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Branch Secretary: Peter Allen
Email: info@rtbu com.au
Tel: (07) 3839 4988
SOUTH AUSTRALIA & NORTHERN TERRITORY
Branch Secretary: Darren Phillips
Email: theteam@rtbusant org.au
Tel: (08) 8243 2511 / Freecall 1800 801 063
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Branch Secretary: Joshua Dekuyer
Email: general@rtbuwa.asn.au
Tel: (08) 9225 6722
TASMANIA
Branch Secretary: Ric Bean
Email: tasadmin@rtbu org.au
