Tasmanian government injects $8m into Metro Tasmania to improve safety, give drivers a pay rise
The state government will inject an additional $8m into Metro Tasmania to improve safety and give bus drivers a $5000 pay rise – but it comes with a catch. What the money will go towards.
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The state government will inject an additional $8m into Metro Tasmania to improve safety and give bus drivers a $5000 pay rise.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michael Ferguson said the package would include funding to provide security screens for drivers, to place more transit officers on buses and a new IT system to improve rostering.
The crackdown on anti-social behaviour on buses will include public transport bans for those who flout the rules, Mr Ferguson said.
“Metro will be working with police to actively ban passengers who have done the wrong thing, and will not be allowed to catch a bus in the future,” Mr Ferguson said.
He said the key to solving workforce problems was recruiting more staff and the above-award payments were part of that.
“Low unemployment is a good thing, but it’s made it harder for employers like Metro to recruit. So we need to do more,” he said.
“The estimated $8.1m package covers a range of initiatives including personal safety, a pay rise and more attractive rosters to recruit and retain bus drivers.
“The government is prepared to fund a pay rise of $2 million this financial year, outside of the current enterprise agreement for Metro’s bus drivers.
“This is subject to Metro reaching agreement with its bus operators that is reasonable and affordable.”
Metro temporarily suspended 177 weekday services on August 28 to provide certainty and reliability for passengers, with a review expected after six months.
The government-owned bus operator had an annual budget of around $61m in 2021/22.
Metro CEO Katie Cooper said the company would work with drivers to deliver a pay rise.
“The $2 million provided this financial year to pay a wage increase for our bus operators, subject to the fair work process, is a great result,” Ms Cooper said.
“It will go a long way to addressing the recruitment and retention issues that Metro has spoken publicly about previously.”
Ms Cooper said anti-social behaviour on Metro buses, in its shops, online and in the wider community had been an important focus area for the company for some time.
“Funding for the introduction of security screens and to extend the deployment of Transit Officers on Metro buses across our three main regions, will improve safety for operators and passengers,” she said.
“And a new IT system that will replace our current rostering system is a critical investment that will also play a role in recruiting and retaining Bus Operators given the greater flexibility it will provide rostering.
Monday; s announcement did not include a pay rise offer for Metro mechanics, who are currently locked in enterprise bargaining talks with the company.
AMWU state organiser Jacob Batt said his members were being underpaid by $7 to $10 an hour.
“The state government have provided no funding to Metro mechanics who are an essential part of ensuring our public transport service can be fixed,” he said.
“The disrespect from Jeremy Rockliff and Michael Ferguson towards Metro mechanics is something the public will not tolerate.
“Last week Metro mechanics took stop-work action, supported by drivers and the public, that started a campaign to ‘fund, fix and save Metro’.
“The community support was immense, with the consistent sound of the public honking their car horns in support of Metro mechanics.”
He said without a better pay offer, mechanics would continue to leave Metro in high numbers, which would further undermine efforts to increase service reliability.
Originally published as Tasmanian government injects $8m into Metro Tasmania to improve safety, give drivers a pay rise
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