Northern beaches bus drivers to protest outside Brookvale depot over privatisation plans
Protesting bus drivers say commuters should be very worried about plans to privatise bus services on the northern beaches. Here’s why.
Manly
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Northern beaches bus drivers will hold the first of several protest rallies on Saturday against the planned privatisation of the peninsula’s bus service.
Shadow Transport Minister Chris Minns is expected to attend.
The drivers, other staff and their supporters will stand outside Brookvale bus depot with placards, but will not disrupt services.
David Babineau, of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, said the protest was about raising awareness among the public and especially commuters.
He said commuters would be losing a well run public service, which was meeting its targets and making a profit.
“It’s baffling,” he said. “Profits will now go to a private operator instead of schools and hospitals.”
Mr Babineau warned that in Newcastle when the private operator took over the bus service in the city it ripped out 150 bus stops without any public consultation.
Liberal State Member for Manly James Griffin said last week after the news was announced that franchising the service would be good for commuters who would get new electric buses and expanded services.
He said the Government would continue to own the buses and other assets such as the depot at Brookvale, but the service would be put out to tender.
He said in addition the northern beaches would also get an on-demand bus service, which has already been trialled, and the successful B-Line would be expanded.
“These changes present an opportunity to improve routes and increase services,” Mr Griffin said.
But Rhonda Funnell, who was the Labor candidate for Mackellar in the last federal election said it didn’t make sense.
She said the State Transport Authority, a government organisation, currently runs the service and was doing an outstanding job, and had made $128m profit in the last five years.
“Who in their right mind would give that away?” she said.
“We are handing profits over to private companies which will probably end up offshore.
“That’s money that could be used to go back into public services.”
Ms Funnell, whose husband used to be a bus driver out of the Brookvale depot, said buses were the “lifeblood of the northern beaches”.
“In other areas where this has happened we have seen bus routes wiped out, delays and general downgrading of everything,” she said.
Meanwhile, a former northern beaches bus driver told the Manly Daily, drivers also feared privatisation would lead to reduced wages and worse conditions, as well as reduced services for the public.
The average driver’s wage is around $70-80,000, with overtime and extra shifts making a big difference.
“Working conditions and pay are only guaranteed for two years,” the driver, who wanted to remain anonymous said.
“The risk is if wages are cut drivers will be forced to moonlight or will have to leave.”
The driver said that would force many drivers and their families to leave the peninsula, which is one of the most expensive places to live in Sydney.
The driver said it would also result in the loss of skilled and experienced drivers who deal with everything from fights on buses to drug overdoses.
The state government last week announced that it would be franchising the service in mid 2021, and that the ageing fleet would be replaced with electric buses.
It said it would be expanding services and that all bus drivers and mechanics would be guaranteed their jobs and pay and conditions would remain as they were for two years.
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