Christmas chaos looms on V/Line as staff refuse pay rise deal
Victorians relying on country trains face festive pain with V/Line services set to be cut. This is why.
Victoria
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Victorians face regional rail chaos in the lead up to Christmas after the industrial umpire gave the green light to work bans stopping maintenance on V/Line trains from the middle of next week.
The state’s regional rail operator will be forced to start cutting services from the end of next week after the Fair Work Commission approved work bans by electricians and mechanical fitters employed at Bombardier Australia’s West Melbourne depot.
The 39 eligible staff, who earn between $150,000 and $160,000 a year, voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.
They have been offered a pay rise of 3 per cent a year for the next four years and a cut in their full-time working week from 38 to 36 hours.
The package is understood to be worth more than 17 per cent over the life of the agreement.
But an industry source said the Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, which represents the two groups of workers, have refused to consider the offer because they want a veto over rostering.
From Wednesday, they will be allowed to place indefinite bans on “preventative, corrective or scheduled maintenance” on V/Line’s rolling stock at Bombardier Transportation’s depot.
The bans will apply to airconditioning systems, exit doors, generators, toilets and electrical systems.
They will also hold a stop work meeting on Wednesday.
The maintenance ban is expected to start impacting services within 48 hours.
An industry source said if the unions controlled the roster, it would be easy to manipulate to rack-up overtime under the reduced working week.
V/Line needs a new maintenance roster in place from early next year to coincide with the introduction of its new timetable.
Negotiations are also under way with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, which also represents workers at the depot. But that union has not sought to impose work bans.
Opposition Transport spokesman David Davis said it was another example of unions holding the Andrews government to ransom.
“Passengers have already been hit hard by COVID. The last thing they need is to be clobbered by a round of strikes. We all need to pull together – especially those with secure employment when so many have lost jobs,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the ETU said the union was “not chatting with the media”.
A Bombardier spokesman said the community was aware of the stop-work action planned for Wednesday.
“To date, we have been working proactively, in good faith, progressing negotiations across all fronts to present even better working conditions,” he said.
“This action is regrettable, however is fully within the rights of their members.
“We are committed as always to providing safe and reliable transport services to Victoria.”
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