Article: Southeast Queensland commuters to be hit by bus drivers' strike

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Southeast Queensland commuters to be hit by bus drivers' strike

Southeast Queensland commuters to be hit by bus drivers' strike

    Robyn Ironside, Sarah Vogler
    From: The Courier-Mail
    September 01, 2011 12:00AM

COMMUTERS in the southeast are being warned to expect delays today as bus drivers begin a wave of strikes in a bid for better pay and conditions.

The 24-hour stoppage from 4am by drivers from the Sunshine Coast, Redlands and Gold Coast is expected to cause travel chaos across the region.

The drivers will march on TransLink's George St offices in Brisbane at noon in support of their claims.

Surfside on the Gold Coast will run to a Saturday timetable, while Veolia Transport will run some express services between the Redlands and the city during peak periods and a Saturday timetable in between. It will not run any school services.

Sunbus on the Sunshine Coast has been forced to cancel all services today. Parents are being urged to make other arrangements to ensure children get to and from school.

Transport Workers Union secretary Peter Biagini said all three companies blamed inadequate funding from TransLink for their inability to offer drivers a better deal.

"TransLink is saying ... they are 'not our employees, not our problem'. We are saying 'hang on, you've got full control of the passenger transport industry ... the fares collected go straight to TransLink'," Mr Biagini said.

"It has full control and no responsibility so we are saying it needs to take some responsibility."

TransLink chief Peter Strachan reissued his offer for mediation.

"TransLink is not party to this dispute as bus drivers are employed under a federal award and our contractual wage increases are in line with the federal index," he said.

"Therefore both parties need to come to agreement or accept arbitration.

"These disruptions have gone on for too long and it is affecting the lives of too many TransLink customers who use and rely on public transport for school, work or simply getting around."

Up to 40 Brisbane City Council bus drivers will join the blockade to support TWU members.

David Matters, of the Rail Tram and Bus Union, which represents the BCC drivers, said the outsourcing of public transport to private contractors was having a detrimental effect on treatment of drivers.

[ozbob]

Media release 1 September 2011

SEQ:  Time to Rebuild Public's Confidence in Public Transport

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has called for public confidence in the reliability of Sunshine Coast bus services to be re-established through a public marketing campaign. Further widespread disruption to bus services in Redlands and Gold Coast is compounding the problem.

Robert Dow, Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The clock must be reset on the assessment period for trial bus routes on the Sunshine Coast and an effective marketing campaign put in place to re-establish the travelling public's faith in bus services once the industrial disruption comes to an end."

"The Sunshine Coast is without buses again today (Thursday) in what has become a case of bus stop roulette for hapless commuters – wait at the shelter and see if a bus turns up.  The ongoing dispute is doing untold damage to confidence in the reliability of public transport, which lies at the heart of the implied contract between commuter and service provider.  Disruptions to Redlands and Gold Coast bus services is also a major concern."

"The constant disruptions to public transport of late is having profound effects on the community with a loss of transport options for work, school, medical appointments, shopping and leisure activities."

"TransLink's action in engaging an industrial mediator to work with the bus company and the Transport Workers Union to resolve differences of pay is welcomed."

"Once industrial disputation is over – and we hope that's soon – the message needs to be broadcast that it is convenient and safe to use public transport again, and that buses will turn up when the timetable says it will.  A public transport marketing campaign is needed for all regions."

"Several bus routes on the Sunshine Coast are working trials designed to build up numbers.  In particular, these link the hinterland towns and the coast, but their patronage has taken a battering over several months.  Rail Back On Track does not want this aberration in passenger numbers to become an excuse to cancel those trial services.  We want an assurance from Translink that this will not occur."

"Furthermore, as many tourists travel about on buses, we again urge the state government to quicken their endeavours to find alternatives to the costly one-way single paper tickets visitors pay because there are no fixed fare day passes offered in South-East Queensland."

"Most major cities have tourist/visitor electronic card offerings.  Maybe that is one of the reasons why Brisbane has dropped back in the world's most liveability city stakes (1)."

Reference:

1. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6641.0

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/bulletin/1314588291

Sunbus, Surfside & Veolia service disruptions

Bus service disruptions - Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Redlands

Due to industrial action Sunbus, Surfside and Veolia bus services will be disrupted on Thursday 1 September.

Sunshine Coast – Sunbus services

    No services for Sunbus.
    School services run by BusLink will not be affected.

Gold Coast – Surfside services

    Surfside urban services will operate to a Saturday timetable (Route Number on the destination board).
    Surfside school services will operate as scheduled (School Bus sign on the destination board).
    Parents and guardians should consider alternative transport arrangements if your child relies on an urban bus service to connect with a dedicated school bus.

Please note: The Gold Coast Show Day holiday is on Friday 2 September. Surfside bus services will operate to a public holiday timetable.

Redlands City – Veolia services

    No school services serving the Redlands region will operate.
    Saturday timetable for regular Veolia passenger services.
    Non-Veolia school services will not be affected.
    Express services between 5 and 9 am into the city.
    Express services between 4 and 6 pm from the city.
    Saturday timetable outside of the peak times for travel to and from the city.
    Saturday timetable for all local services (not-city bound).
    Shuttle services between Cleveland and Carindale.

Where school services are affected, parents should make alternative travel arrangements for their school children.

Alternative travel options for passengers on Thursday:

    Make alternative travel arrangements: consider car pooling, walking and/or cycling.
    For Redlands Shire passengers:
        Consider park 'n' ride at the new Klumpp Road park 'n' ride near the Hibiscus Sports Centre, Upper Mount Gravatt and catch the high frequency 186 into the city
        Get dropped off at Carindale bus station for bus connections to the city
        Catch Cleveland line trains.

Passengers are advised to please check back regularly for the latest information, or call TransLink on 13 12 30 for updates before travelling.

Affected Services

    Route 600
    Route 601
    Route 603
    Route 605
    Route 615
    Route 607
    Route 636
    Route 609
    Route 610
    Route 616
    Route 617
    Route 618
    Route 619
    Route 620
    Route 626
    Route 627
    Route 628
    Route 629
    Route 630
    Route 631
    Route 632
    Route 639
    Route 613
    Route 622
    Route 602
    Route 14
    Route 15
    Route 16
    Route 18
    Route 18A
    Route 20A
    Route 20
    Route 3
    Route 4
    Route 5
    Route 567
    Route 604
    Route 606
    Route 608
    Route 700
    Route 760
    Route 765
    Route 703
    Route 707
    Route 709
    Route 715
    Route 725
    Route 726
    Route 727
    Route 728
    Route 737
    Route 738
    Route 745
    Route 748
    Route 751
    Route 752
    Route 755
    Route 758
    Route 762
    Route 763
    Route 764
    Route 766
    Route 767
    TX1
    TX2
    TX5
    Route 10
    Route 21
    Route 702
    Route 768
    Route 706
    Route 757
    Route 747
    Route 750
    N750
    Route 753
    Route 754
    Route 756
    Route 759
    N21
    Route 240
    Route 241
    Route 243
    Route 250
    N250
    Route 251
    Route 252
    Route 255
    Route 257
    Route 253
    Route 254
    Route 263
    Route 264
    Route 265
    Route 266
    Route 267
    Route 270
    Route 271
    Route 277
    Route 278
    Route 279
    Route 272
    Route 273
    Route 274
    Route 275
    Route 280
    Route 281
    Route 285
    Route 282
    Route 283
    Route 761
    Route 769
    Route 614
    Route 612
    N798
    Veolia school bus

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Bus strikes cripple southeast Queensland services

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Angry bus drivers march through streets to protest Translink pay and conditions

Angry bus drivers march through streets to protest Translink pay and conditions

    Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    September 01, 2011 12:45PM

ABOUT 150 bus drivers have marched through Brisbane's CBD chanting "Translink, you stink" in a protest against poor pay and conditions.

The Transport Workers' Union and Rail, Tram and Bus Union members staged a noisy rally outside Translink headquarters, where six armed police guarded the doors.

Despite the police presence there was no attempt to storm the building.

Four delegates were allowed in after the rally to meet with management.

In a rousing speech, TWU state secretary Peter Biagini said Translink had too much control over bus drivers.

"They control the schedule, they control where we work, where we finish a shift but they take no responsibility," Mr Biagini said.

Drivers also spoke about the challenges of impossible schedules and poor wages.

Three bus companies are today being subjected to a 24 hour strike by drivers including Veolia at Redland City, Sunbus on the Sunshine Coast and Surfside on the Gold Coast.

Similar rallies at Translink are planned for each month until the state election.

[cartoonbirdhaus]

"... Six armed police guarded the doors"

Er, aren't the police routinely armed anyway?

[Fares_Fair]

They can carry a firearm but are not actually compelled to do so for normal duties.
Personal choice is allowed.

That's not to say that they weren't asked to carry them in this instance.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[longboi]

Its out of TransLink's hands. The decisions on what routes drivers are rostered on, where they commence and finish their shifts, their breaks and rest periods between runs are made by their respective employers, not TL.

[somebody]

Its out of TransLink's hands. The decisions on what routes drivers are rostered on, where they commence and finish their shifts, their breaks and rest periods between runs are made by their respective employers, not TL.

The decision to engage this management is in Translink's hands.

[O_128]

Its out of TransLink's hands. The decisions on what routes drivers are rostered on, where they commence and finish their shifts, their breaks and rest periods between runs are made by their respective employers, not TL.

FFS then maybe TL should take over, this applies to everything, Run QR, take over BCC transport and then rest and cut a massive layer of fat out of the public service.

[cartoonbirdhaus]

FFS then maybe TL should take over

FFS as in SBB CFF FFS? http://www.sbb.ch/home.html Yes, let them take over (but not TransLink at any stage). What a good idea!

[longboi]

Its out of TransLink's hands. The decisions on what routes drivers are rostered on, where they commence and finish their shifts, their breaks and rest periods between runs are made by their respective employers, not TL.

The decision to engage this management is in Translink's hands.

Well sure there may be some way to terminate contracts (I don't know the specific terms of agreement) but that still leaves regions without bus services.