Regional rail strikes for morning of women’s tennis semi-final as union digs in over pay deal

Regional rail workers fighting for a pay rise are set to bring the network to a halt on the morning of a major Australian Open tennis match.

V/Line chief executive Matt Carrick insists the public sector authority is making progress towards a new agreement. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Regional rail workers plan to bring the network to a halt next week as the dispute over a new workplace agreement escalates.

The industrial action, which is scheduled for between 3am and 7am on Thursday, January 25, would be on the morning of the women’s singles semi-final at the Australian Open.

It is the second time the Rail, Tram and Bus Union has called for a strike in the past month, as it digs in over demands for a new workplace agreement that would include a pay rise of 17 per cent over four years.

The RTBU has also signalled concerns about automated trains and their impact on the workforce long-term.

In mid-December, early morning stoppages by train controllers, customer services staff and conductors caused delays and disruption throughout the day.

V/Line has maintained it needs a flexible and modern agreement to deliver extra services and trains and a pipeline of major projects. Picture: Ian Currie

The chief executive of V/Line, Matt Carrick, insists the public sector authority is making progress towards a new agreement, which is impacted by the Allan government’s wages policy, but the RTBU’s state secretary, Vik Sharma, said V/Line “needs to respect the frontline workers and stop treating them like numbers on a spreadsheet”.

“In the current climate of automation, major changes and an uncertain economy, members are fighting for what all workers across Victoria deserve – job security and decent conditions,” Mr Sharma said.

He said the union would prefer not to be taking action that impacts the network.

Mr Carrick said passengers could keep up to date with the latest information on the V/Line website or social media accounts and urged the union to “work collaboratively with us to reach a fair and reasonable agreement”.

V/Line has maintained it needs a flexible and modern agreement to deliver extra services and trains and a pipeline of major projects, but insists it will maintain workplace conditions.

Plans for replacement coaches on January 25 will be finalised over the coming days.