Bus Drivers Threaten To Strike Over Security

[Bus 400]

I think that I may of found the article.

WA bus drivers threaten strike over protection from thugs
Glenn Cordingley and Anthony Deceglie
April 11, 2009 06:00pm
WESTERN Australian bus drivers will walk off the job unless demands for greater protection from thugs are met.
They want security guards to ride in buses at night  to stop them being punched, verbally abused and spat on.
The Transport Workers Union says about 1800 drivers covering the Perth metropolitan area will hold a four-hour stop-work meeting next month unless their demands are met.
TWU bus industry organiser Kevin Starr said a full-blown strike would eventuate if nothing was done to protect drivers and passengers from thugs.
Mr Starr said current mobile security patrols for buses were failing and many of the on-board CCTV systems were broken.
Transport Minister Simon O'Brien yesterday agreed to hold talks with union officials.
``The security and wellbeing of our bus drivers is always of major concern and I am very keen to ensure they operate in a safe workplace,'' he said.
``I look forward to consulting with the union on issues they have raised.
Mr Starr said the attacks were no longer confined to certain metropolitan suburbs.
``They can happen anywhere, anytime,'' he said.
``The problem nights used to be Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- now it happens 24/7.
``It's like Russian roulette, if the wrong people jump on a bus at the wrong time, whether it's passengers on drugs or alcohol, you're gone.
``Very rarely are drivers assaulted for the purpose of a robbery.
``Generally they are targeted because they sit in an enclosed space with their hands on a steering wheel in charge of passengers.
``They are sitting ducks.
``Drivers are being king-hit and spat in the face because they can't get up and fight back.''
Mr Starr said Public Transport Authority transit rail guards should be drafted in to the Transperth bus system, which has about 65 security staff.
``All those resources should be pooled,'' he said.
``Some of the 350 transit guards for trains only should be sitting on buses to protect the public and our drivers,'' he said.
Mr Starr said security cameras were also an issue.
``Half the time they are not working,'' he said.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25321568-2761,00.html

The problems I have heard over SCT Drivers Radio (from inside a bus of course) is that it takes like 30 minutes for a Transperth Security car to go from their depot to Kwinana & I was a passenger in a bus with a problem & it took like 20 minutes for them to get upto Dixon Road, Rockingham. When both times, a Rail Police car could get there in like 5-10 minutes & even less for WA Police.

Personally I reckon that all Transperth workers (bus & train drivers, information staff, etc) should stop work until they get upgraded . Then watch Perth go into chaos. It may seem dramatic, but that is the only way the Government will listen.

You would want to read the comments left.