Article: Snap strike leaves Brisbane bus passengers stranded

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Snap strike leaves Brisbane bus passengers stranded

Snap strike leaves Brisbane bus passengers stranded
MARISSA CALLIGEROS
September 7, 2009 - 7:59AM

Hundreds of Brisbane commuters have been left stranded at bus stops in the inner-city and northern suburbs this morning as a result of a snap council bus driver's strike.

Key inbound services from suburbs including West End have been cancelled as drivers at Bowen Hills bus depot walked off the job after raw sewerage flooded the premises overnight.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union acting secretary Michael Layt said driver's arrived to find pools of raw sewerage had leaked from portable toilets on the site, which is undergoing renovations.

"Our driver's are not going to walk through raw sewerage to get to the buses," Mr Layt said.

"They arrived this morning to find sewerage all over the place, because management failed to clean it up over the weekend.

"No one is expected to to work under those conditions. We don't complain about working in 50-degree heat, but raw sewerage - that's not on."

The stop-work action has impacted services on bus routes including routes: 104, 193, 195, 198, 199, 302, 303, 304 and 323.

Limited services are running on routes 196 and 197.

Commuters will be forced to find an alternate means of transport this morning, as Translink has been unable to fill services on the routes affected by the stop-work action.

"Every service from the Bowen Hills depot has been cancelled indefinitely," a Translink spokesman said.

Mr Layt said services would resume today when driver's were able to reach the buses without walking through sewerage.

[ozbob]

Update

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Sewage spill forces snap bus driver strike

Sewage spill forces snap bus driver strike
MARISSA CALLIGEROS
September 7, 2009 - 9:33AM
Bus Drivers

Drivers stand near buses after they walked off the job because of a raw sewage leak at the Bowen Hills bus depot. Photo: Marissa Calligeros Photo: Marissa Calligeros

Brisbane City Council bus drivers are demanding to be paid for a snap strike this morning, which left hundreds of commuters stranded in the inner-city and northern suburbs.

About 100 drivers walked off the job from 4am after arriving at their Bowen Hills bus depot to find raw sewage spilled across the entry way and pooling near a lunchroom.

The drivers said the the threat of contamination to the city's bus fleet and growing anger over temporary facilities at the depot were behind the decision to stop work.

They are refusing to get back behind the wheel unless Brisbane City Council guarantees to pay them for their downtime this morning. The council has been given until 10am to agree to the demand or risk day-long stoppages which could affect the afternoon peak.

"We all arrived this morning about 4am ready for work but we were confronted with this putrid smell. It was just disgusting," bus driver and Rail, Tram and Bus Union delegate Glenn Anderson said.

"We ran the risk of walking the sewage from our shoes on to the buses and possibly contaminating the whole fleet. We do apologise to the public but we just couldn't work under these conditions.

Bus drivers have been using temporary demountables at the depot while the original building undergoes repairs to structural damage. They say they had been promised new facilities within three weeks, but say they have been waiting eight. Mr Anderson said the portable toilets had leaked twice in that time.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union acting secretary Michael Layt said conditions at the depot were unacceptable. He said sewage leaking from portable toilet on the site had been reported yesterday but the council failed to act.

"Our drivers are not going to walk through raw sewage to get to the buses," Mr Layt said.

"They arrived this morning to find sewage all over the place because management failed to clean it up over the weekend.

"No one is expected to work under those conditions. We don't complain about working in 50-degree heat, but raw sewage - that's not on."

The stop-work action has impacted services on bus routes including routes: 104, 193, 195, 198, 199, 302, 303, 304 and 323.

Limited services are running on routes 196 and 197.

Commuters will be forced to find an alternate means of transport this morning, as Translink has been unable to fill services on the routes affected by the stop-work action.

"Every service from the Bowen Hills depot has been cancelled indefinitely," a Translink spokesman said.

[ozbob]

Daughter number 2 got caught at QUT GP, no 391.  She headed off to Roma St and the 66.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Sewage spill stops buses

Sewage spill stops buses
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Robyn Ironside

September 07, 2009 08:55am

A SEWAGE spill at the Brisbane City Council's Bowen Hills bus depot has thrown inner-city services into chaos this morning.
Workers arrived at the depot about 4.30am to find sewage leaking from port-a-loos across the depot.

Mick Layt from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union said it was disgusting.

"They're working out of temporary buildings and are using portaloos but they weren't emptied as scheduled overnight,'' Mr Layt said.

"It was running all over the tarmac and it's not the first time this has happened. It's happened before and we won't tolerate it anymore.''

He said drivers would have had to walk through the sewage to reach their buses and they were not prepared to do that.

"The stench is incredible,'' Mr Layt said.

"Apologies to people who usually get buses to work and the school kids, but no one could expect the workers to walk through that.''

Work began about 8am to clean up the mess but was expected to take several hours.

Mr Layt said New Farm and West End services were probably the most significantly affected by the drivers' stop work.

Other routes affected are the 195, 198, 199, 300, 303, 393 and the Doomben rail-bus.

[Derwan]

I'm with the drivers on this one.  There's no way they should be forced to endure the stench - let alone walk through it to get to buses.  It's bad enough that they have to use portaloos in the first place.

[ozbob]

Yes not real pleasant,  proper facilities for staff is needed.   Guess tunnels more important ...

[Derwan]

From http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/commuter-chaos-looms-amid-sewage-strike-20090907-fdm1.html

Commuter chaos looms amid sewage strike

Stop work action by Brisbane City Council bus drivers is likely to continue today, thrusting evening peak hour into chaos, as pay negotiations between drivers and the council are deadlocked.

Brisbane City Council (BCC) bus drivers are demanding to be paid for a snap strike this morning, after they refused to walk through raw sewage spilled across the entry way to their Bowen Hills depot.

They are refusing to get back behind the wheel unless Brisbane City Council guarantees to pay them for their downtime this morning, which left thousands of commuters stranded in the inner-city and northern suburbs.

Negotiations between the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and the council deteriorated this morning, after about 100 drivers walked off the job from 4am when they found raw sewage pooled near a lunchroom at the depot.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union acting secretary Michael Layt said the council had so far refused to acknowledge the sewage spill was a "health and safety risk" and had therefore denied drivers their pay.

"Unfortunately this could spread to more depots. The drivers are not happy. They want to return to work, but the council is refusing to pay," Mr Layt said.

"It's likley stoppages will affect the afternoon peak hour."

The union is meeting with members to discuss further stop work action.

"We all arrived this morning about 4am ready for work but we were confronted with this putrid smell. It was just disgusting," bus driver and Rail, Tram and Bus Union delegate Glenn Anderson said.

"We ran the risk of walking the sewage from our shoes on to the buses and possibly contaminating the whole fleet. We do apologise to the public but we just couldn't work under these conditions.

Bus drivers have been using temporary demountables at the depot while the original building undergoes repairs to structural damage.

They said they had been promised new facilities within three weeks, but they had been waiting eight.

Mr Anderson said the portable toilets had leaked twice in that time.

Mr Layt said conditions at the depot were unacceptable. He said sewage leaking from portable toilet on the site had been reported yesterday but the council failed to act.

"Our drivers are not going to walk through raw sewage to get to the buses," Mr Layt said.

"They arrived this morning to find sewage all over the place because management failed to clean it up over the weekend.

"No one is expected to work under those conditions. We don't complain about working in 50-degree heat, but raw sewage - that's not on."

The stop-work action has impacted services on bus routes including routes: 104, 193, 195, 198, 199, 302, 303, 304 and 323.

Limited services are running on routes 196 and 197.

[ozbob]

At this tijme following services affected:

http://www.translink.com.au/servicechange.php?id=108

Brisbane northside bus delays - effective 7 September 2009

Passengers on routes 104, 193, 195, 198, 199, 302, 303, 304, 375, 381 and the Spring Hill loop are required to catch alternative services due to industrial action at the Bowen Hills depot.

Limited services are also operating on routes 196 and 197.
Affected timetables

    * Loop (Spring Hill) - effective 27 October 2008
    * route 104 - effective 10 November 2008
    * route 193, 195, 196, 197, 199, N199 - effective 23 February 2009
    * route 198 - effective 27 October 2008
    * route 302, 303, 304 - effective 27 October 2008
    * route 374, 375, 376 - effective 3 August 2009
    * route 379, 380, 381 - effective 3 August 2009
    * route 380, 381 - effective 19 May 2008

[ozbob]

Update

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Commuter chaos looms amid sewage strike

Commuter chaos looms amid sewage strike
MARISSA CALLIGEROS
September 7, 2009 - 2:03PM

Brisbane City Council bus drivers will continue their stop work action this afternoon in a move that is likely to see school children and peak-hour commuters left stranded.

About 100 drivers refused to get behind the wheel this morning after they arrived at their Bowen Hills depot to find raw sewage pooled near their lunch room.

The Rail, Train and Bus Union is understood to be planning stop work meetings at each depot at 4.30am tomorrow.

Depending on their result, peak-hour services across the city could be affected.

The council has so far refused to pay the drivers for their down time, amid claims the stoppage was illegal industrial action.

Brisbane City Council transport chair Jane Prentice this afternoon conceded the council's action in relation to the matter "wasn't handled well", but she would only say it was in discussions about drivers' pay.

"We were given an undertaking this morning that as soon as the situation was cleaned up - which was at 9am - they would all go back to work," she said.

The issue of payment is one that we're in negotiations (about) at the moment."

"Unfortunately this could spread to more depots. The drivers are not happy. They want to return to work, but the council is refusing to pay," Mr Layt said.

"It's likely stoppages will affect the afternoon peak hour."

The union is meeting with members to discuss further stop work action.

"We all arrived this morning about 4am ready for work but we were confronted with this putrid smell. It was just disgusting," bus driver and Rail, Tram and Bus Union delegate Glenn Anderson said.

"We ran the risk of walking the sewage from our shoes on to the buses and possibly contaminating the whole fleet. We do apologise to the public but we just couldn't work under these conditions.

Bus drivers have been using temporary demountables at the depot while the original building undergoes repairs to structural damage.

They said they had been promised new facilities within three weeks, but they had been waiting eight.

Mr Anderson said the portable toilets had leaked twice in that time.

Mr Layt said conditions at the depot were unacceptable. He said sewage leaking from portable toilet on the site had been reported yesterday but the council failed to act.

"Our drivers are not going to walk through raw sewage to get to the buses," Mr Layt said.

"They arrived this morning to find sewage all over the place because management failed to clean it up over the weekend.

"No one is expected to work under those conditions. We don't complain about working in 50-degree heat, but raw sewage - that's not on."

The stop-work action has impacted services on bus routes including routes: 104, 193, 195, 198, 199, 302, 303, 304 and 323.

Limited services are running on routes 196 and 197.

[Derwan]

Latest from http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26036937-952,00.html

Bus sewage dispute resolved

AFFECTED bus routes are operating again after Brisbane City Council agreed to pay drivers who walked off the job over a sewage leak at their depot.

The spill at the Brisbane City Council's Bowen Hills bus depot threw inner-city services into chaos this morning, with drivers of about 80 buses stopping work with their union saying the drivers refused to walk through sewage to get to their vehicles.

This morning's stoppage was expected to affect about 5000 commuters, and drivers said they would not return to work unti Brisbane City Council assured them they will be paid for today's shift.

It was announced just after 3pm that the dispute had been resolved, with council agreeing to pay drivers for their unworked hours.

Buses from other routes had been diverted on to afternoon school bus routes in inner-city suburbs affected by the stoppage.

The dispute began early today when workers arrived at the depot about 4.30am to find sewage leaking from port-a-loos across the depot.

Mick Layt from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union said it was disgusting.

``They're working out of temporary buildings and are using portaloos but they weren't emptied as scheduled overnight,'' Mr Layt said.

``It was running all over the tarmac and it's not the first time this has happened. It's happened before and we won't tolerate it anymore.''

He said drivers would have had to walk through the sewage to reach their buses and they were not prepared to do that.

``The stench is incredible,'' Mr Layt said.

``Apologies to people who usually get buses to work and the school kids, but no one could expect the workers to walk through that.''

Work began about 8am to clean up the mess but was expected to take several hours.

Mr Layt said New Farm and West End services were probably the most significantly affected by the drivers' stop work.

Other routes affected were the 195, 198, 199, 300, 303, 393 and the Doomben rail-bus.

[Derwan]

It was announced just after 3pm that the dispute had been resolved, with council agreeing to pay drivers for their unworked hours.

As they should.  I'd be extremely peeved if I turned up to work, couldn't commence because of leaked sewage at my workplace - and there was any question as to whether I'd get paid for the day!

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Bus stand-off ends

Bus stand-off ends
TONY MOORE
September 7, 2009 - 4:59PM
Drivers stand near buses after they walked off the job because of a raw sewage leak at the Bowen Hills bus depot.

Drivers stand near buses after they walked off the job because of a raw sewage leak at the Bowen Hills bus depot. Photo: Marissa Calligeros

Buses are back operating this afternoon after Brisbane city Council agreed to pay drivers for this morning's shift which they refused to finish after a sewage spill at the Bowen Hills bus depot.

Earlier today about 100 drivers stopped work from 4am after discovering the spill - the second in two months - was blocking the entrance to the depot.

Drivers were also angry about temporary facilities, which they say were only supposed to be in place for three weeks while damage to permanent buildings was carried out by the council.

The drivers had given the council until 10am to guarantee they would be paid for the strike, and threatened further action.

However, a Brisbane City Council spokesman said agreement was reached around 4pm and drivers were returning to work.

It is understood an 8000-litreseptic tank oveflowed after it was last emptied on Friday evening. Pemanent facilities at Bowen Hills will be built by November.

Earlier today these services were affected:

104 (Corinda-PA Hospital), 195 (New Farm-City), 198 (Highgate Hill), 199 (New Farm-City-West End), 302 (Pikenba-City), 303 (Myrtletown-Eagle Junction), 340 (Carseldine-City), 367 (Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron), 374 (Paddington-City), 375 (Bardon-City-Stafford), 381 (Ashgrove-City), 391 (QUT campus shuttle), 396 (Arana Hills-Mitchelton), 397 (Ferny Grove-Mitchelton) and 398 (Ferny Grove-Mitchelton).

Limited services will be provided on routes 199 and 391.

About 80 buses were cancelled this morning.

For more information or updates, commuters can visit the Translink website or call 13 12 30.