Eight Yarra Trams drivers were sent home after the Christmas party because of rum balls

Commuters were hit with delays and cancellations after Yarra Trams served a tasty alcoholic treat to drivers at this year’s Christmas party, forcing eight staff members to go home early.

A plate of rum balls may have ruined Christmas for a group of tram drivers, with eight staff sent home because the holiday treat usually contains alcohol.

Yarra Trams served the dish at a catered lunch at the company’s headquarters in the CBD on Christmas Day.

But drivers on the network must have a blood-alcohol content of 0.00 while at work and concerns were raised the dessert would breach these guidelines.

Staff were unsure if the balls contained alcohol and chose to keep the drivers off the tracks as a precaution.

The decision sparked delays and cancellations on services across the network as drivers were left unable to do their job.

Eight staff members were sent home early after eating rum balls at the Christmas party.

A Yarra Trams spokesman said safety was the company’s highest priority.

“As a precaution, Yarra Trams removed eight drivers from service on Christmas Day after they ate a dessert which may have contained alcohol,” he said.

It is understood a call-out went out to staff already driving to make sure no one who had eaten rum balls were behind the wheel.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union tram division secretary Tarik Koc said the company made the right choice but should not have allowed the mishap in the first place.

“Yarra Trams should be held accountable,” he said.

“If a staff member had made this mistake they would have been in a lot more trouble.

“How many services were affected by this mistake?

“The department, the regulator and the relevant Minister should know about this and ask the relevant questions.”

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It is not the first time Yarra Trams Christmas parties have sparked controversy.

In 2017, three staff members were stood down after a depot party featured the arrival of a scantily glad “fat-o-gram”.

The company is also facing further industrial action as an industrial dispute with the RTBU heats up.

Strikes are likely to hit the network around the Australian Open as the union fights for a 6 per cent pay increase year on year.

The light rail operator also wants new rostering arrangements to allow for more flexible shift arrangements but the union has pushed back.

Negotiations will continue into the new year.