Bus drivers closer to a pay deal

Started by Buzz Killington, June 16, 2011, 07:28:23 PM

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Buzz Killington

Canberra's bus drivers have agreed to recommence negotiations with the ACT Government following an in-principle decision to accept the Government's latest pay offer, but have rejected the proposed workplace agreement.

The decision was reached today during a stop-work meeting which saw hundreds of drivers head to Canberra Stadium to meet with the Transport Workers Union (TWU), whilst commuters had to make alternative arrangements between 10am and 2pm with buses off the road.

Drivers have agree to accept a pay increase of 2.5 percent, as well as a $650 sign-on bonus. However concerns were raised over rosters for part-time drivers, and drivers have not ruled out further industrial action.

"We are hoping though with a fresh minister with a cool head, that a far different approach is going to be taken by the ACT Government, and that we'll be in a position to announce a final agreement within a fortnight," said TWU representative Ben Sweaney.

Bus 400

WIN News reported the roster issue being having part time drivers being rosted to work 35 hours a week. Saying something about that should be classed as full time.

Well normal full time would just be an extra 3 hours a week.

Barry Drive

Quote from: Buzz Killington on June 16, 2011, 07:28:23 PM
However concerns were raised over rosters for part-time drivers, and drivers have not ruled out further industrial action.
Not so much that "concerns were raised" - more that the proposed changes to part-time hours were rejected outright. Which means that the union has an inflexible negotiating position: an outright no.

Quote from: Bus 400 on June 16, 2011, 08:06:11 PM
WIN News reported the roster issue being having part time drivers being rosted to work 35 hours a week. Saying something about that should be classed as full time.

Well normal full time would just be an extra 3 hours a week.
Never as simple as it sounds, despite what TWU may say. It wasn't 35 hours a week: it's up to 35 hours a week.

What ACTION wanted to do was have the flexibility to make part-time shifts longer - up to 7 hours a day instead of 6 - to accomodate network changes and to reduce inefficiences. But they couldn't give any indication of how many shifts might need the extra hours, which type of shifts might be affected and whether there might be fewer full time shifts as a result. So the change was rejected because drivers were convinced that such a change would result in an increased number of part-time shifts. Whereas (IMO) a more sensible approach would have been to re-negotiate the 60/40 split in return for increased part-time hours, and possibly look at 6:30 as the maximum shift length.