State government intervenes to prevent Grand Prix tram strikes
Tram strikes that were set to disrupt the Australian Grand Prix have been cancelled, with Public Transport Minister Melissa Horne staging a surprise intervention into negotiations.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tram strikes planned to disrupt the Australian Grand Prix have been cancelled, with Public Transport Minister Melissa Horne staging a surprise intervention into negotiations.
The state’s Rail, Tram and Bus Union has agreed to call off its plans industrial action and discussions over a new pay deal will resume immediately.
Its understood Ms Horne will personally meet with RTBU state secretary Luba Grigorovitch and Yarra Trams chief executive Julien Dehornoy as they negotiate a resolution.
The head of Industrial Relations Victoria will also be involved.
It comes after the union spent months campaigning for the minister to step into the protracted dispute.
She had resisted calls up until now and earlier this month said it was not within her role.
“It is not my job to do either the union’s job for them in negotiating that or to do Yarra Trams job in negotiating their agreement,” she said at the time.
A government spokesman said the agreement meant a planned court battle in the Fair Work Commission would also be withdrawn.
“The government facilitating mediation does not make the state party to the agreement,” he said.
“We continue to encourage both parties, Yarra Trams and the RTBU, to come to an agreement as soon as possible.”
A petition calling for Ms Horne’s resignation, started by members of the union, has more than 1100 signatures.
The union has agreed to withdraw other strike action planned for next week.
Mr Dehorney said the company would begin “high level mediation” with the RTBU.
“We welcome a return to productive negotiations,” he said.
Talks broke down late last year as the tram operator pushed for a new enterprise agreement that would allow more part-time rostering.
Tensions escalated when the union announced it would strike on every day of the Grand Prix in a plan that spark transport chaos for thousands of attendees.
The company has argued this would give it the flexibility to hire a more diverse workforce but the union contends the move is about saving money by offering fewer entitlements.
READ MORE: