21 June 2010

No Bus Friday

| johnboy
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TAMS is warning that the bus drivers are taking all Friday off work to have a meeting:

ACTION General Manager James Roncon today expressed his disappointment in the planned industrial action on Friday by the Transport Workers Union (TWU).

The TWU has announced a 24-hour stop-work meeting from 12.01am on Friday 25 June 2010.

“This industrial action by the TWU will leave commuters stranded on Friday, particularly school children and those needing to get to work. The timing of the meeting has been deliberately organised to cause huge disruption to school children and the bus travelling public,” Mr Roncon said.

“We do not feel that this action is reflective of the desires of most of our workforce given that only 40% of drivers voted to support it. We are going to work all week to seek continuation of as many services as possible, particularly school bus runs and services between town centres.

“We will keep the public updated throughout the week on the ACTION website but at this stage commuters and parents should start thinking about making alternative transport plans for Friday.”

Good luck everyone!

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colourful sydney racing identity4:18 pm 08 Jul 10

Has all the heat gone out of this? Does anyone know if any more Action industiral action is planned?

Bussie said :

b) The point is that part time drivers – which is what we all are for at least 2 years and usually more – do not necessarily get $59K/yr. That is what 38hrs/wk @ $29.90/hr gets you. A fair comparison with cops and nurses could be made if you tell me what they get per hour.

Okay, since you ask…

Firefighters, range from $11.10/hr in training upto $13/hr for senior firefighter. District officers can earn upto $18.50/hr. [1]

Ballpark figure, NSW 2nd year registered nurse is $26/hr. [2]

[1] http://www.ufuact.asn.au/fb_award.rtf
[2] http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/employment/nurse_award_wage_rates_08.asp

Bussie said :

Good luck with your life, hope the bosses’ arseholes taste great.

Mate, do us all a favour and take your blue-collar “working class warrior” bullshit and shove it up your fat, carbuncled ass. If I get myself a reflecto-vest, start smoking winnie-blues and knock over a slab of VB after tea can I grow up to be a ‘real’ worker like you?

$26 dollars an hour? Well cry me a bloody river. Yeah I’m a public servant. And taking into account all the unpaid overtime I have to put in so the bosses don’t land on top of me with their size 12’s I get paid about $24 an hour. Thats less than what I used to get working security. I’ve been a union member since the day after I got the job and the only thing they care about are my fees.

a) see b)
b) The point is that part time drivers – which is what we all are for at least 2 years and usually more – do not necessarily get $59K/yr. That is what 38hrs/wk @ $29.90/hr gets you. A fair comparison with cops and nurses could be made if you tell me what they get per hour.
c) AFAIK the TWU position is that we will not agree to compulsory weekend work until we are told how it will be implemented. Managament want carte blanche to put in whatever system of allocating weekends they want so fuck them.
d) I seriously doubt brand new cops and nurses can do their jobs without a shitload of help from their workmates. Brand new bus drivers are all on their own once their behind the wheel. So you don’t think driving up to 70 people around is a big responsibility?

Wages aren’t set by some scale of deservedness. ACTION bus drivers have fought hard in the past for our pay and conditions and we intend to defend them. Hopefully other class conscious workers will support us but they’re clearly few and far between around here.

This whole wretched site seems like one pathetic complaint after another from a bunch of small minded suburban conservatives who can’t stand to see anyone get what they imagine is a slightly better deal than them. Given that this is Canberra it seemed a fair bet that you were white collar.

You’re hitting all the cliches aren’t you? This is Australia…we do things differently to all those other parts of the world populated by dark people…we have mates unlike all those other countries where no one has ever been friends with each other. What a bunch of vacuous nationalist bullshit.

Good luck with your life, hope the bosses’ arseholes taste great.

Bussie said :

Hutch, that efficiency report was a crock of shit which we can go into if you want. And it was of course totally coincidental that it came out during the negotations.

“Payrates:
First Year bus driver @ ACTION – $29.90 or $59,272 per year
First Year bus driver @ State Transit (NSW) – $20.72 or $40,404 pyr (based on a 7.5hr day)

Compare that to a first yr Nurse, Police Officer etc? I know who I would prefer get paid more!”

This proves you don’t know what you are talking about because:

a) The starting rate at ACTION is about $26/hr. Drivers don’t get $29.90 until they’ve been driving for at least 6 months and get trained to drive the articulated buses.

b)The $59K/yr is based on 38hrs a week. Part time drivers are only guaranteed 20hrs/week.

c)STA drivers get penalty rates for nights, weekends and early starts, we virtually never do (essentially only for the Nightriders which run about 7 nights a year).

d) New nurses and police officers arguably can’t do their jobs. New bus drivers have the same heavy vehicles to control as drivers with 30 years experience. Furthermore I very much doubt nurses and cops stay on their starting wages for long. Once bus drivers get to the $29.90/hr that’s it, no increase until all our wages go up.

“Without having any research, there are probably a number of reasons why people do or do not become and stay bus drivers – possibly the nature of the work? Lack of career opportunities? Money? Or considering the nature of your first sentence… maybe even having to work with a delighful person such as yourself might turn people away from a career of bus driving.”

If you tell me I deserve a pay cut because my ‘high’ wages offend your white collar good citizen sensibilities don’t be surprised if I swear at you, you fucking arsehole. I bet you don’t have the guts to tell a bus driver to their face they’re paid to much.

a) so after 6 mths training their on $59,000???
b) your point is?
c)you get paid composite pay for after hrs work etc, noted. But the majority of work is mon to fri, hence the majority of drivers will only ever work mon – friday before 7pm. In either case, ACTION always struggles to get weekend drivers anyway because drivers dont wanna work on weekends. So once again congrats to the TWU for negotating a great deal. Shame on the gov for agreeing to it.
d) starting nurse, cop etc is a highly skilled position with an load of responsibility. Bus drivers drive a bus – no too much thinking involved there. If you enjoy doing it, then all credit to you, but you certainly do not deserve such a high wage.

Funnily enough, you assume im white collar… bet you probably dont think im a union member either!

If you ever drive my bus, i’ll be happy to tell you. In fact in a discussion, id be happy to tell anyone. The difference is… I will never swear/abuse you because i appreciate society has different opinions and views. Thats what makes Australia good – listening to each other even if you disagree with each other.

Good luck with your life

upstandingcitizen4:09 pm 22 Jun 10

buzz819 said :

Umm are you asking for more money or more full time positions?

They’re not asking for either, they’re asking for the current ratio of fulltime to parttime bus drivers to remain exactly the same. They’re asking not to be given an effective pay cut. They don’t want more of anything. They just want to maintain their conditions. I think it’s reasonable and I support em.

Thanks 74Daizies and Very Busy.

I’m with Bussie @ #24.

Couldn’t have said it better myself..

thehutch said :

Payrates:
First Year bus driver @ ACTION – $29.90 or $59,272 per year

Not correct – Starting rate after completion of training is $26.85 per hour or $53,245 pa.

Privatising Canberra’s bus service is an absurd and stupid proposition and would have nothing to do with having “balls”. Doing this would be the equivalent to the Govt throwing its hands up in the air and saying it’s all too hard, I can’t make it work. That is the last thing they should do. Even under privitisation, the Govt would need to heavily subsidise the service but would lose much of the control. The fleet would be even older and more run down than it is now, drivers would leave in droves and be replaced with lesser quality operators. Bus commuters would pay a very heavy price.

What an absolutely illconceived response to this issue!!!!

The Govt wants to increase the part time vs full time ratio resulting in more drivers working 40 hours plus per week while only paying super and leave entitlements on 20 hours. The Govt is not prepared to negotiate on paying these entitlements on actual hours worked.

Hutch, that efficiency report was a crock of shit which we can go into if you want. And it was of course totally coincidental that it came out during the negotations.

“Payrates:
First Year bus driver @ ACTION – $29.90 or $59,272 per year
First Year bus driver @ State Transit (NSW) – $20.72 or $40,404 pyr (based on a 7.5hr day)

Compare that to a first yr Nurse, Police Officer etc? I know who I would prefer get paid more!”

This proves you don’t know what you are talking about because:

a) The starting rate at ACTION is about $26/hr. Drivers don’t get $29.90 until they’ve been driving for at least 6 months and get trained to drive the articulated buses.

b)The $59K/yr is based on 38hrs a week. Part time drivers are only guaranteed 20hrs/week.

c)STA drivers get penalty rates for nights, weekends and early starts, we virtually never do (essentially only for the Nightriders which run about 7 nights a year).

d) New nurses and police officers arguably can’t do their jobs. New bus drivers have the same heavy vehicles to control as drivers with 30 years experience. Furthermore I very much doubt nurses and cops stay on their starting wages for long. Once bus drivers get to the $29.90/hr that’s it, no increase until all our wages go up.

“Without having any research, there are probably a number of reasons why people do or do not become and stay bus drivers – possibly the nature of the work? Lack of career opportunities? Money? Or considering the nature of your first sentence… maybe even having to work with a delighful person such as yourself might turn people away from a career of bus driving.”

If you tell me I deserve a pay cut because my ‘high’ wages offend your white collar good citizen sensibilities don’t be surprised if I swear at you, you fucking arsehole. I bet you don’t have the guts to tell a bus driver to their face they’re paid to much.

Bussie said :

Hey Hutch, why don’t you go back to sucking the bosses’ arseholes.

If we’re so overpaid how come ACTION has such a hard time hanging on to drivers?

Probably because new drivers don’t like having to wait 2-4 years to get a fulltime position. There’s usually overtime available but we don’t accrue leave or super on it so ACTION has a lot of fulltime equivalent drivers on the cheap.

Management wanted to play hardball this time so they’ve left us no option but to strike. They’ve previously allowed at least one stop work meeting at EBA time with buses off the road from 1000-1400. They didn’t this time so we had to strike just to be able to get together.

Sorry to all the people who are left stranded but it’s management’s fault. Take the opportunity to call in sick.

Umm are you asking for more money or more full time positions?

If you get paid more than a check out chick then your getting paid to much money.

georgesgenitals9:12 pm 21 Jun 10

This was done to death a couple of weeks ago.

Cranky unionists reckon their hard done by, evil management earning a gazillion dollars a year out to screw drivers, arguments about pay, etc.

Oh, and whenever someone criticises the union we get personal attacks and emotional outbursts.

Hope the drivers get what they can, but spare us the union bullshit.

thehutch said :

Payrates:
First Year bus driver @ ACTION – $29.90 or $59,272 per year
First Year bus driver @ State Transit (NSW) – $20.72 or $40,404 pyr (based on a 7.5hr day)

Compare that to a first yr Nurse, Police Officer etc? I know who I would prefer get paid more!

Congrats to your union for negotiating a great deal for you… but really?

Comparing the payrates of bus drivers in 2 states is like comparing chalk and cheese, but Stanhope wouldn’t want to admit that. If you compared the payrates in a lot of industries in Canberra, you will find that the salary rates are much higher than most states most simply because of the labour market is a lot tighter and there is a higher amount of competition. If you want to keep your staff in this town, you have to pay a rate and have conditions that are competitive with or above that of other companies. Without that, you don’t have people wanting to join your company, or drive your buses.

Who is wrong or right I don’t know, I would think both sides need to give in this case, but I don’t really care because I don’t catch the bus.

Workers Solidarity Canberra7:41 pm 21 Jun 10

Drivers had originally planned to take industrial action in the form of a fare-strike, which was seen as an effective way of challenging management without inconveniencing the public.
Unfortunately ACTION, with the assistance of Fair Work Australia (Rudd’s version of the draconic Workchoices), threatened drivers with severe fines for choosing to participate in such an action.
Many other workplaces, including the ACT public service, have widely rejected less-than-inflation ‘pay-rises’ (effective pay-cuts), not to mention the proposed change of composition to majority part-time.
It is important to remember that the demands put forth by drivers and the TWU are modest, asking only for the current EBA to continue. Drivers are under attack, and Roncon is trying to pit the public against them. It’s a lie that only a minority of the workforce support the action, and it is ACTION management’s hard-line approach which has provoked the strike.
Industrial campaigns are not won in isolation, but require broad support from the community. To that end, Workers Solidarity Canberra invites everyone to join in a public demonstration in support of our drivers, at 12pm on the day of the strike (Friday 25) outside the Legislative Assembly.
Comparing wages to other industries misses the point and plays into the hands of the bosses. We must organize as a class of workers. An injury to one is an injury to all!

Bussie said :

Hey Hutch, why don’t you go back to sucking the bosses’ arseholes.

If we’re so overpaid how come ACTION has such a hard time hanging on to drivers?

Probably because new drivers don’t like having to wait 2-4 years to get a fulltime position. There’s usually overtime available but we don’t accrue leave or super on it so ACTION has a lot of fulltime equivalent drivers on the cheap.

Management wanted to play hardball this time so they’ve left us no option but to strike. They’ve previously allowed at least one stop work meeting at EBA time with buses off the road from 1000-1400. They didn’t this time so we had to strike just to be able to get together.

Sorry to all the people who are left stranded but it’s management’s fault. Take the opportunity to call in sick.

Payrates:
First Year bus driver @ ACTION – $29.90 or $59,272 per year
First Year bus driver @ State Transit (NSW) – $20.72 or $40,404 pyr (based on a 7.5hr day)

Compare that to a first yr Nurse, Police Officer etc? I know who I would prefer get paid more!

Congrats to your union for negotiating a great deal for you… but really?

Without having any research, there are probably a number of reasons why people do or do not become and stay bus drivers – possibly the nature of the work? Lack of career opportunities? Money? Or considering the nature of your first sentence… maybe even having to work with a delighful person such as yourself might turn people away from a career of bus driving.

For the record – i don’t work for ACTION and have no personal gain from the success or failure of Action EBA’s… I just know there’s a better way.

Fantastic, for once there will be no busses cluttering up the roads!!

Bussie said :

new drivers don’t like having to wait 2-4 years to get a fulltime position. There’s usually overtime available but we don’t accrue leave or super on it so ACTION has a lot of fulltime equivalent drivers on the cheap.

That’s why I support this action. Even though it will be inconvenient for me and I’ll have to drive kids to school all over the ACT and then get myself to work, I feel the drivers are being ripped off.

Organisations who employ casuals for years on full time hours, but with none of the job security, SUCK. Job security is important.

la mente torbida said :

@thehutch

out of curiosity, how often do you catch a bus?

I catch buses to and from work (belco to city) 2-3 times a week on average… depends on what I am doing after work. If I have something on after work which makes public transport to hard, then I drive… im lucky I have that option.

74Daizies – yes I realise that ACTION runs at a loss…several weeks ago, a report was released confirming that the Government could save $30million a year by reducing inefficiencies… so its pretty simple – take what it costs to run ACTION today, take $20 million off that figure and provide that to a private company to run the system under certain conditions. Use the extra $5million to increase peak services and the other $5 million as a potential performance bonus for the company if they meet certain criteria.

It’s not rocket science – private run transport systems operate in various cities around the world. In either case, it can’t be any worse and if it stays the same, well at least it’s cheaper.

Hey Hutch, why don’t you go back to sucking the bosses’ arseholes.

If we’re so overpaid how come ACTION has such a hard time hanging on to drivers?

Probably because new drivers don’t like having to wait 2-4 years to get a fulltime position. There’s usually overtime available but we don’t accrue leave or super on it so ACTION has a lot of fulltime equivalent drivers on the cheap.

Management wanted to play hardball this time so they’ve left us no option but to strike. They’ve previously allowed at least one stop work meeting at EBA time with buses off the road from 1000-1400. They didn’t this time so we had to strike just to be able to get together.

Sorry to all the people who are left stranded but it’s management’s fault. Take the opportunity to call in sick.

la mente torbida4:57 pm 21 Jun 10

@georgesgenitals

in the big scheme of things, it ain’t that important

@Jim Jones

I don’t know you well enough

Inappropriate said :

I wonder how many people will go, “Oh f- this, I’m not going to work” on Friday because of this action?

None?

Inappropriate3:52 pm 21 Jun 10

I wonder how many people will go, “Oh f- this, I’m not going to work” on Friday because of this action?

georgesgenitals3:43 pm 21 Jun 10

la mente torbida said :

@georgesgenitals

please ignore aggression in previous post…I had a cranky moment

It’s all ok! I can see this is a subject that is important to you, and to be fair I was in a bit of a trolly mood, and was having a bit of a giggle to relieve what’s been a fairly difficult day.

It’s worth it to get a good response out of Woody, anyway… 🙂

la mente torbida said :

@georgesgenitals

please ignore aggression in previous post…I had a cranky moment

Do you need a hug?

la mente torbida3:19 pm 21 Jun 10

@georgesgenitals

please ignore aggression in previous post…I had a cranky moment

la mente torbida3:05 pm 21 Jun 10

@georges (I’m ignoring your genitals)

#871 seems a moot point IF YOU DON’T CATCH BUSES

Point #1 – catch a taxi, buses run to a schedule and it don’t revolve around your little universe (believe it or not)

Point #2 – unreliable? In 5 years of me catching buses daily – 2 non arrivals because of breakdown (if you don’t catch them, how do you know they are unreliable?)

Point #3 – expensive? check out Deans Buslines website for expensive

Point #4 – they smell – poor precious!

Go troll elsewhere

Woody Mann-Caruso2:53 pm 21 Jun 10

Reason #871 why I don’t catch buses.

Reason # 872 – prone to exaggeration; holding arms THIS FAR apart may upset other passengers.

georgesgenitals2:51 pm 21 Jun 10

la mente torbida said :

@georgesgenitals

Reason #871: You don’t catch buses because:

a) drivers are paid too much?
b) drivers go on strike?
c) not enough part-time drivers?

Please enlighten me.

The first few reasons go something like this:
#1 They don’t go when it suits me
#2 They are unreliable
#3 They’re expensive for what they are
#4 They smell, as do some of the regular users

This list continues until #871, which is:
#871 The drivers go on strike sometimes, which means the buses are unavailable anyway.

la mente torbida2:42 pm 21 Jun 10

@georgesgenitals

Reason #871: You don’t catch buses because:

a) drivers are paid too much?
b) drivers go on strike?
c) not enough part-time drivers?

Please enlighten me.

Are you aware that ACTION runs at a loss? If it’s privatised we can expect services halved, less drivers and more expensive fares.. at the minumum. The gov’t is doing us a favour by not selling it off.

Go to q’beyan and see how great the service is.

Wake up people. Privatisation is not the answer here.

As for the pay and conditions… if your a full-time driver then yes, your lucky. Think of all the other drivers, the 40% that are part-time and doing shifts. The pay isn’t so great then.

I’m just sayin…

georgesgenitals2:18 pm 21 Jun 10

Reason #871 why I don’t catch buses.

la mente torbida2:02 pm 21 Jun 10

@thehutch

out of curiosity, how often do you catch a bus?

Time to for the Government to grow some balls and privatise ACTION. There’s no doubt that an ACTION bus driver is overpaid and their conditions, in conjunction with poor Government vision, leave Canberra with a 3rd rate public transport system.

Must be a better way.

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