Regular regional rail strikes planned as pay dispute heats up

Regular strikes that could disrupt the regional rail network have been planned by Victoria’s rail union amid its push for better pay for regional workers.

The rail union has planned to hold regular strikes in February amid ongoing pay disputes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Victoria’s regional rail network is set to be hit by rolling strikes on Monday and Friday mornings, in a significant escalation of a V/Line pay deal dispute.

The early morning strikes risk turning many commuters’ weeks into work-from-home hybrids and are planned for the weeks starting February 12 and February 19.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union is set to launch the new front in its industrial relations war in a bid to shift negotiations it says have stalled, and vow to continue the twice-a-week chaos until progress is made.

Regional Victorians could face major disruptions due to the planned strikes in February Picture: Rob Leeson

Major disruptions will be triggered if the planned action is taken and train controllers, customer service, and shunters walk off the job between 3am and 7am.

Trains would be unlikely to hit the tracks on those Mondays and Fridays until closer to 8am, severely impacting the morning commute for passengers who would be forced to take replacement coaches, or work from home if possible.

Previous industrial action has caused chaos during the days, following early morning walk-offs, and service delays cascaded into the afternoon.

V/Line and the RTBU have been at loggerheads over a new enterprise agreement, particularly when it comes to rostering flexibility and hours, as well as pay.

The union won a 17 per cent pay rise over four years for Metro operations staff, but a push for a similar deal for regional staff is understood to have been rejected by the Allan Government under its wages policy, leading to a stalemate.

The RTBU wants better pay for regional workers. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

The RTBU’s state secretary, Vik Sharma, told the Herald Sun it was time for V/Line to begin meaningful discussions and said staff would keep walking off the job until progress is made.

He said cost of living issues weren’t confined to Melbourne, and that passengers impacted would question “why the Allan Labor Government has forgotten about regional Victorians”.

“First it cancelled the Commonwealth Games, and now it’s ignoring the needs of regional rail workers,” he said.

“The Allan Labor Government is failing regional Victoria and has been asleep at the wheel, and has allowed the V/Line dispute to run off the rails.”

V/Line’s chief executive, Matt Carrick, has previously said there had been “good faith” negotiations and progress has been made.

On Wednesday night, Mr Carrick issued a statement saying V/Line had “made progress towards reaching an agreement with the drivers”.

“We will continue to communicate with passengers and work hard to minimise the impacts of this action,” he said.

VLine chief executive Matt Carrick. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

In January he called for the union to “work collaboratively with us to reach a fair and reasonable agreement”.

But following the RTBU’s most recent regional industrial action, during the Australian Open tennis finals, the union released an update to members saying V/Line hadn’t been listening.

“Members have sent a powerful message to V/Line bosses – WE run the network. Disrespect us at your peril!” the update says.