RTBU begin strike action along parts of V/Line network
V/Line staff will begin their first wave of strike action on Wednesday, with no service to run on two lines. These are the lines that will be impacted.
VIC News
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Train strikes will regional rail commuters in Victoria’s northwest today as the state’s public transport union kicks off a two-week campaign across the V/Line network.
No services will run on the Bendigo and Swan Hill lines today as operational staff walk off the job over enterprise negotiations.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has asked for a 6 per cent increase year on year.
But V/Line is pushing to keep annual pay increases in line with the Andrews Government’s wages policy of 2 per cent.
RTBU State secretary Luba Grigorovitch said Victoria had experienced a boom in passengers across the regional network.
“The government is expecting V/Line workers to do more with less, more services less support, less funding, and our members just won’t stand for it,” she said.
“The RTBU has been running a longstanding campaign for additional funding for regional services but it has become brutally clear that the Minister for Public Transport isn’t interested in regional Victoria.
“If there is no ribbon to cut, or a shiny project to announce it is clear that the government isn’t interested.”
RTBU members will strike across different parks of the network every day, with the next all-day stoppage to hit the Ararat, Maryborough and Ballarat lines on December 12.
Next week workers will walk off the job on Traralgon and Bairnsdale lines on December 17, the Albury, Shepparton and Seymour lines on December 18 and the Warrnambool and Geelong lines on December 19.
V/Line chief executive said James Pinder said the company was working on a coach-replacement service for each line.
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“We want to give passengers as much notice as possible so we will communicate the changes to services as soon as we can through the V/Line website, app and social media,” he said.
”The union’s decision to disrupt tens of thousands of passengers in the lead up to the holiday season is extremely disappointing and certainly something V/Line wanted to avoid.
“We’re calling on the RTBU to come back to the negotiating table to progress these discussions in good faith so together we can work on a way forward.”
All three of the state’s rail operators are locked in industrial battles over enterprise agreements with the RTBU.
More strikes are likely to hit Yarra Trams services next year but a legal battle has left the union unable to use protected action for Metro operational staff.