Saturday 16 April ACTION will operate to Sunday timetable

Barry Drive · April 14, 2011, 01:50:59 PM

Exceprt from TAMS Media Release (political grandstanding removed)

QuoteDue to a second phase of industrial action this month by the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), there will be again be disruptions to this Saturday's bus services, James Roncon, Director, ACTION, announced today.

"The AMWU has informed ACTION they will be placing a further ban on overtime work this weekend which means that buses will not be able to be maintained or re-fuelled," Mr Roncon said. "In order to minimise disruptions to Monday's services a decision has been made to run a Sunday timetable on Saturday. Sunday services and chartered services to the Brumbies match will run as per normal.

"With the school holidays next week not as many buses are required to operate the fleet on Monday, however unless we run a Sunday timetable on Saturday services will be impacted next week. "

Mr Roncon said that ACTION was confident there would not be any disruptions on Monday due to the measures being taken on Saturday.

Barry Drive · April 14, 2011, 01:59:48 PM

In the interests of being balanced, I have tried to find press releases from the AMWU on the internet to give their side of this story, but have had no success.

However, as far as I know (and I could be wrong about this, so please correct me if I am) - it is not a "second phase" of industrial action, it is the same action. The AMWU imposed an indefinite overtime ban (including during the week), they are not doing it on a week to week basis. Nothing has changed from last weekend. I presume that attempts by ACTION Management to have the ban lifted failed, but they won't report it that way.

belcodriver · April 14, 2011, 02:27:21 PM

According to another driver (who is in a position to know) one of the things management want from the mechanics is 7pm to 7am shifts with no penalty rates.

Snorzac · April 14, 2011, 11:43:49 PM

Having mechanics do 7pm till 7am does make sense, however it is not fair to not offer penalties for that sort of work.

Barry Drive · April 15, 2011, 12:34:44 AM

ABC News Online has further reportage on this story.

QuoteACTION bus services will be affected again in Canberra this weekend as a dispute continues over an enterprise bargaining agreement with workshop staff.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union is continuing its overtime bans this weekend which will impact on the maintenance and re-fuelling of buses.

The Union's Jane Timbrell says a submission from ACTION to resolve the dispute has gone to the ACT Cabinet for consideration.

"Well look it's highly regrettable that cabinet didn't look at the ACTION submission because we may well not have had to have this action."

"We don't seem to be able to negotiate with the government and this is a problem about a process in the ACT public sector. The process is very flawed and this is in part why we have been waiting since before Christmas for a pay offer for this group of members.

belcodriver · April 15, 2011, 12:14:15 PM

Another bullshit story in the Canberra Times today.

Bus 400 · April 17, 2011, 10:27:50 PM

Would it be that difficult for ACTION to re-commission the 15 retired Renaults & 21 new MAN/Scania's that are sitting at Woden Depot? Surel;y this would provide ACTION with enough buses to cover Monday morning at least.

I do wonder what will happen next weekend if the industrial action continues? As having 3 public holidays & 2 days for the weekend, will ACTION have any buses fueled on Wednesday morning?

Barry Drive · April 17, 2011, 11:14:43 PM

Simple answer: yes, it would be too hard. ACTION stated that they don't expect any problems on Monday morning. Last weekend they said management fuelled the buses - presumably they did so again.

Too early to know what will happen next weekend. I'm sure they will try again to get the ban lifted. But if management fuelled the buses they can do so during the long weekend.

King of Buses · April 19, 2011, 07:39:40 PM

The reason my uncle thinks the union are having ACTION services cancelled is all because his best friend a mechanic at Belconnen was not at work! But he now thinks because he is back at work ACTION will run services normally! I know and do not believe his story but it may be a factor as you need people to fuel buses!

Snorzac · April 19, 2011, 09:57:58 PM

This appears to be an ongoing issue, as of today I am certain the OT ban is still in place and an agreement is yet to be reached, I would be very surprised to see ACTION running from Sunday.

The Love Guru · April 20, 2011, 04:39:32 PM

No buses Friday, Sunday and Tuesday

Bus 400 · April 20, 2011, 07:40:17 PM

This has come from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union website on last weekend'd action:

Quote
Stalled negotiations drive bus workers to take action
Apr 15, 2011
Maintenance workers from ACTION buses in Canberra will continue with industrial action this weekend as management continue to stall over a new workplace agreement.

AMWU Industrial Officer, Jane Timbrell, said it was an unfortunate but inevitable consequence of the protracted handling of the workers' agreement.

"ACTION have had 15 months to come to the table, discuss new terms and address outstanding worker concerns. They have dragged this out for too long – whilst our members work desperately understaffed."

Workers have longed maintained staffing levels in the workshop including apprentice numbers should be mandated, something the company has failed to build into their latest offer.

Delegate and 30-year veteran of the bus workshop, Tony Davey, said workers were already overstretched.

"We're missing as much as 10% at the shop floor level. We've always been very flexible and multi-skilled. But there is a growing expectation from management that they can squeeze more out of the workshop.

"When I started we had 14 apprentices a year, now we only have two. Yet the fleet of vehicles we have is double the size," he said.

AMWU members have asked ACTION to implement a ratio of one mechanic for every eleven buses, a proposal that has been knocked back.

Mr Davey said the workers felt their concerns were not understood.

"There has been a lot of misinformation. We've been ridiculed in the papers as being greedy and lazy. Quite a number of the guys have taken it to heart and morale is really low.

"We're not asking for much. We would like the issues around staffing addressed once and for all and a 4% percent pay increase. But some how that seems too hard."

http://www.amwu.org.au/read-article/news-detail/687/Stalled-negotiations-drive-bus-workers-to-take-action/