RTBU Australia | Interest
RTBU Australia
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25.01.2022 Privatising essential services doesn't make them any less essential. Van Badham busts the privatisation myths: https://www.atui.org.au/the-privatisation-lemon
25.01.2022 What's the definition of "out of touch"? How about a State Treasurer who thinks that workers wanting to be paid in line with people doing the same jobs in other states are "greedy", but blowing $260K on "better winches" for the parliamentary chandeliers is perfectly reasonable. Say hello to Australia's worst Treasurer, South Australia's Rob Lucas.
24.01.2022 The NSW Government's New Intercity Fleet (NIF) trains are a "safety disaster waiting to happen". A new report has uncovered a litany of problems with these overseas-built trains. The NIF trains should not be allowed onto the rail network until these serious faults have been rectified and the trains have been proven to be safe.
24.01.2022 Why is the South Australian Government delaying the handover of the Gawler line to new private operator Keolis Downer? Is it just a coincidence that Keolis Downer hasn't been able to attract enough staff to operate the full network? Yet again, commuters and workers pay the price for the Marshall Government's shambolic public transport privatisation agenda. http://www.rtbu.org.au/gawler_delay_is_a_desperate_move
24.01.2022 Sydney bus drivers are at their wits' end. The NSW Government must stop sitting on its hands and take action to protect the health and safety of bus drivers, and prevent the spread of COVID-19 through the bus network.
24.01.2022 South Australian Treasurer Rob Lucas today launched a vile attack on South Australian rail workers. He clearly thinks South Australian rail workers are worth less than workers from other states. What a disgrace. He is not fit to hold a senior position in the South Australian Government. The RTBU will keep fighting to win a new Enterprise Agreement for South Australian rail workers that delivers fair pay, job protections and a safe workplace. #OurPublicTransport
24.01.2022 Why do we keep going on about safety? Because rail, tram and bus networks all are dangerous environments, and every act of careless can have catastrophic consequences. Please, be #RailSAFE
24.01.2022 The National RTBU expresses its sadness at the passing of one of the giants of our union, Bernie Willingdale. Bernie was a fierce warrior for working people. As AFULE NSW Branch Secretary, he led the fight for better working conditions for three decades, serving in that position for 27 of the 30 years between 1965 and 1995. He will be remembered as a warm and eccentric character, but a relentless worker and tireless advocate for his members. We express our deepest condolences to Bernie's family, including his daughter Wanisara, and to his many friends and comrades. Rest in Power Bernie.
24.01.2022 The South Australian Government's rail privatisation process has gone completely off the rails. But time is running out - the Government is expected to rush through an announcement on their preferred operator in the next few weeks. It's time for new Minister for Transport, Corey Wingard, to stand up and be counted. He can either change course now, or forever be held accountable for the privatisation fiasco. Send Corey a message - stop the rail privatisation and keep South Australia's passenger trains in public hands. https://ourtrainsnotforsale.good.do/tellcoreytosaveourtr//
23.01.2022 Strong action by RTBU members has forced the NSW Government to address serious safety concerns about its new South Korean-built trains. #UnionAndProud
22.01.2022 The October (spring) edition of our quarterly national member newsletter, Transport NOW, is hot off the presses. Get your copy right here! http://www.rtbu.org.au/transport_now_october_2020
22.01.2022 Update: NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance says the issue of protecting public transport workers and commuters from COVID-19 has come "out of left field". WTF? Where has he been for the past six months? This bloke is so far out of his depth it's scary, and his incompetence is putting the health and safety and the entire Sydney community at risk.
22.01.2022 South Australian Transport Minister Corey Wingard can do the bidding of Treasurer Rob Lucas, or he can do the right thing for South Australian commuters. The choice is his - but you can still give him some helpful advice! Tell Corey to keep South Australia's trains in public hands. https://ourtrainsnotforsale.good.do/tellcoreytosaveourtr//
20.01.2022 The future of our rail freight sector is at risk due to years of government neglect, and policies designed to advantage other modes. Our rail communities deserve an even playing field, and they deserve a future.
19.01.2022 Sydney bus drivers are fed up with NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constances failure to take transport safety seriously. Playing games with COVID-19 is playing games with peoples lives. Its not good enough.
19.01.2022 The future of RT Health is at risk - but if you're a member of RT Health then you can save it! Keep RT Health a member-owned not-for-profit fund - run for the benefit of members, not shareholders.
19.01.2022 South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has some explaining to do. He can start by explaining how many jobs will be lost under his rail privatisation plan, just as his state sinks into recession.
18.01.2022 Oh, what a surprise! The privatisation of train cleaning in Victoria has become a hot-bed of corruption. Fancy that. Who would have guessed? What's more, private cleaning contractors have been cutting corners by not disinfecting trains, as they were paid to, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's almost as if we were right when we said that privatisation of public transport was putting public health at risk! And yet still governments continue with this outsourcing madness, knowing full well that they are giving away control of essential services that are needed to keep people safe.
18.01.2022 The Federal Government has announced limited support for workers in Victoria who are required to isolate. This is a good start, but there are many more workers who SHOULD isolate but dont have the choice. Instead of waiting until people get sick, the government should be protecting people from getting sick in the first place. This is why the RTBU is pursuing vulnerable worker support during the pandemic. https://www.abc.net.au//federal-government-to-cre/12518580
18.01.2022 Rail workers at Adelaide Metro will voting on a Protected Action Ballot in the next few weeks. This is a crucial Enterprise Agreement because it is the last chance our members will get to secure job guarantees and protect their conditions before rail operations are outsourced to a private company. Stay strong comrades!
17.01.2022 Serious questions hang over the SA Governments deal with Keolis Downer. Already details of a secret million dollar losers fee have emerged via leaks. What other commitments have been made behind closed doors? A full investigation is needed.
16.01.2022 Level crossings are dangerous places. Stop, look, listen, think - before you cross. Stay #RailSAFE !
16.01.2022 South Australian Government has today confirmed that a private operator, Keoilis Downer, will take over the operation of Adelaide Metro rail services from end of January next year. This is a disgraceful betrayal of rail workers and the South Australian community.
16.01.2022 The pandemic reminds us we need better government, not smaller government, says Ross Gittins. This is both true and blindingly obvious. And yet we have two State Governments persisting with crazy privatisation programs and a Federal Treasurer promising a new wave of Thatcherism. Australia cannot afford to have dangerous ideologues running the show in this crisis. Public services are essential to society, and even more so right now.
16.01.2022 The South Australian Governments rail privatisation process has gone completely off the rails. But time is running out - the Government is expected to rush through an announcement on their preferred operator in the next few weeks. Its time for new Minister for Transport, Corey Wingard, to stand up and be counted. He can either change course now, or forever be held accountable for the privatisation fiasco. Send Corey a message - stop the rail privatisation and keep South Australias passenger trains in public hands. https://ourtrainsnotforsale.good.do/tellcoreytosaveourtr//
15.01.2022 Wearing a mask on public transport - it's not just about protecting you, it's about protecting others. NSW Tram & Bus Secretary David Babineau explained why on 2GB #WearAMask
15.01.2022 We've been saying that the privatisation of South Australia's trains and trams has been dodgy from Day 1. Now claims have emerged that the Marshall Govt has made a secret deal with the bidders to pay them a million dollar 'losers fee'. You can't make this stuff up! What else are they hiding? This whole scandal needs to investigated by ICAC, and the privatisation process must be aborted.
15.01.2022 The RT Health Fund is under threat! But if youre a member of RT Health, then you have the power to save it. FIll out your proxy voting form and return it to the RTBU, ASAP.
15.01.2022 Train stations can be dangerous places. Be aware of your surroundings, look out for your fellow passengers, and stay clear of the tracks. Be #RailSAFE!!!
14.01.2022 It has now been revealed that the Gawler line will temporarily stay under South Australian Government operation, while the rest of the network will be privatised - due to a massive cost blow-out in the Gawler electrification project. It is unclear how this will affect workers. The privatisation of Adelaide Metro rail services is an absolute mess and must be stopped.
14.01.2022 The RTBU today issued this response to misleading claims about the current South Australian Rail Commissioner Rail Operations Enterprise agreement negotiations by SA Treasurer Rob Lucas.
14.01.2022 The South Australian transport privatisation fiasco has gone beyond a joke. The people of South Australia are being treated with contempt. The process must be abandoned, and rail services must stay in public hands. #OurPublicTransport https://indaily.com.au//not-enough-sa-talent-as-transport/
13.01.2022 Fresh from revelations that the South Australian State Government had to offer bidders a $1 million 'loser's fee' just to stay in the race for the contract to run Adelaide Metro trains, it's emerged that a colleague of the SA Transport boss is earning a tidy $1.4m to work on the project as a consultant. The need for a full independent investigation into this dodgy scheme gets more urgent by the day.
13.01.2022 With travel restrictions being lifted across Australia, hopefully this is the last time we'll need to conduct the RTBU National Executive meeting by zoom. But while we are separated physically, we're still united in solidarity! #UnionAndProud #ausunions
12.01.2022 The RTBU National Council 2019 was an important moment for our Union - discussing how we can ensure the RTBU remains a potent force in a changing world, and how we can shape our future.
12.01.2022 Here's a riddle: how can you keep railways safe, and make fatigued rail workers work longer hours at the same time. According to the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR), the answer is you just give those workers a bit of a sleep-in at some point in the future. Hey presto, problem solved! Seriously, what a load of complete garbage. The idea that fatigue can be ‘offset’ by rests in the future is unscientific nonsense. Fatigue is fatigue, and a tired rail worker does not become less tired because he or she is going to get a rest tomorrow. The RTBU is fighting to ensure ONRSR's attempt to drive down rail safety FAILS.
12.01.2022 Weve been saying that the privatisation of South Australias trains and trams has been dodgy from Day 1. Now claims have emerged that the Marshall Govt has made a secret deal with the bidders to pay them a million dollar losers fee. You cant make this stuff up! What else are they hiding? This whole scandal needs to investigated by ICAC, and the privatisation process must be aborted.
12.01.2022 Rail or road? RTBU WA Secretary Craig McKinley made a persuasive argument for better rail connections into the Port of Fremantle in this televised debate with ex-Melville Mayr Russell Aubrey.
11.01.2022 SA train privatisation goes off the rails as workers vote with their feet. End this farce now. #OurPublicTransport
11.01.2022 Sydney bus drivers are fed up with NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance's failure to take transport safety seriously. Playing games with COVID-19 is playing games with people's lives. It's not good enough.
11.01.2022 The Marshall Governments train and tram privatisation process has been a farce from Day One and must now be referred to ICAC for a full independent investigation. #OurPublicTransport http://www.rtbu.org.au/sa_icac_must_investigate_dodgy_priva
11.01.2022 The RT Health Fund is under threat! But if you're a member of RT Health, then you have the power to save it. FIll out your proxy voting form and return it to the RTBU, ASAP.
11.01.2022 Labor's National Rail Manufacturing Plan will not only support more Australian jobs in manufacturing, it will also lead to better and safer trains. Aussie trains, trams and buses are awesome - we should be building them here. http://www.rtbu.org.au/more_jobs_better_trains_albo_s_rail_
11.01.2022 When it comes to safety around trains, CCTV is no substitute for real people who can intervene and assist when passengers need help. That's why trains that rely on cameras to monitor passengers are inherently unsafe. Martin Stewart, who is interviewed in this news story, is living proof of the real life consequences of decisions made in offices by politicians who don't understand our transport networks. https://www.facebook.com/MarkButtigiegMLC/videos/195734412041996
10.01.2022 South Australians are being sold up the Torrens by their State Government. Public services are supposed to be for the benefit of the public, not for the benefit of multinational corporations. And right now, those services are needed more than ever.
09.01.2022 Over the past few years trams have returned cities like Sydney and Newcastle. This is great, because we love trams! But it's important that people understand that trams can be relatively quiet. That's why we all need to be extra vigilant around tram lines, ALWAYS stop and look both ways before crossing tram tracks, and look out for cars when boarding and alighting. Make sure you stay #RailSAFE!
09.01.2022 Wear a mask, stay safe!
08.01.2022 Movement, money & meaning: RTBU WA PTA Secretary Josh DeKuyer on why public sector employment is critical in the covid crisis.
08.01.2022 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year. But the RTBU has never stopped protecting the health and jobs of our members. #ForTheWorkers
07.01.2022 The people of South Australia know exactly what happens when public services are privatised. Today is a sad day, but rail workers will not give up the fight to have this disastrous decision reversed.
07.01.2022 Peter Makinauskas is right. Shedding jobs in a recession doesnt make any sense.
06.01.2022 The Australian Financial Review today reports that rt health has abandoned its planned sale to NIB following intense pressure from the RTBU. But the future of the rt health is still in the balance, with board directors now looking to merge it with HCF. The RTBU has lost faith in the rt health board, and will continue fighting to save the fund for its members!
06.01.2022 Privatisation is a dud deal for workers, a dud deal for passengers, and a dud deal for the community. The only winners are the overseas-based companies who cream profits from the contracts.
05.01.2022 Train privatisation is a test for SA Transport Minister Corey Wingard: Is he really calling the shots? or is he just a sockpuppet for Treasurer Rob Lucas?
04.01.2022 Transport manufacturing has the potential to turbo-charge our regional economies and help lift Australia out of the COVID recession, but NSW would rather buy trains, trams, buses and ferries from overseas. Andrew Constance's excuses for not buying locally-made are an insult to all Australian workers.
04.01.2022 The future of RT Health is at risk - but if youre a member of RT Health then you can save it! Keep RT Health a member-owned not-for-profit fund - run for the benefit of members, not shareholders.
04.01.2022 Members of the RTBU NSW Loco Division had a massive win today in the Federal Court, with 31 workers at QUBE to be backpaid for pay increases they were entitled to. When workers stand and fight, we can win what is rightfully ours. Congratulations to all our members who never gave up. We are stronger together. Join the union!
03.01.2022 Rail Safety Week starts today! A reminder that everyone has a responsibility to stay #RailSAFE around our trains and trams.
03.01.2022 Sydney bus drivers are at their wits end. The NSW Government must stop sitting on its hands and take action to protect the health and safety of bus drivers, and prevent the spread of COVID-19 through the bus network.
02.01.2022 Wearing a mask on public transport helps keep you safe, helps to keep other passengers safe, and helps to keep public transport workers safe. But sadly the message is still not getting through to commuters in Sydney. It's not that hard. #WearAMask
01.01.2022 Whats the definition of "out of touch"? How about a State Treasurer who thinks that workers wanting to be paid in line with people doing the same jobs in other states are "greedy", but blowing $260K on "better winches" for the parliamentary chandeliers is perfectly reasonable. Say hello to Australias worst Treasurer, South Australias Rob Lucas.
01.01.2022 For over a year now we've been highlighting that the South Australian Government seemingly decided to the privatise the state's passenger trains and trams without doing any basic due diligence, like a business case. Now we can see what this actually means: the Government is so clueless about what it has done that the Minister responsible doesn't even know how much it costs to run the system. And yet he claims that privatisation will save "hundreds of millions of dollars a year". Where will these "hundreds of millions" come from? Nobody knows, and he won't release the contract. Train and tram privatisation is an epic disaster for South Australia, made on an ideological whim with absolutely no reference to facts.
01.01.2022 The RTBU is determined to ensure members of RT Health continue to have control of their fund. The sale of the fund to a for-profit raider is not in the interest of rail and transport workers. If you have been sent a proxy voting for into email, please sign, date and return to the form ASAP. Here is RTBU National Secretary Mark Diamond's letter to the Australian Financial Review about our campaign to save RT Health:
01.01.2022 Now the Budget is over, employers are lobbying MPs and demanding Scott Morrison brings in laws to cut wages and basic workplace rights for millions of workers. If the y get their way, they might be able to convince the Morrison Government to use the pandemic to take away workers’ rights including penalty rates, weaken the safety-net and permanent cuts to take home pay. This is a real threat. Some of these extreme anti-worker employer groups are very influential within the L...iberal Government. The lobbying is happening right now. We need you to stand with the union movement so we do absolutely everything we can to stop it. Click on the link below and send your local MP a message: You can't heal the economy by hurting workers! https://www.australianunions.org.au/FTW-email
01.01.2022 Wearing a mask on public transport - its not just about protecting you, its about protecting others. NSW Tram & Bus Secretary David Babineau explained why on 2GB #WearAMask
