V/Line workers to vote on strike action over enterprise agreement

Stoppages and bans on overtime and uniforms are some of the options V/Line workers are mulling as a vote on strike action looms.

People boarding, disembarking, waiting, for V/line trains at Geelong Station. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Geelong commuters could face disruptions as V/Line railway workers prepare to vote on whether to strike.

The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) is locked in talks with V/Line over the next enterprise bargaining agreements, with cost of living pressures, increased workloads and staffing levels chief among concerns.

The union served V/Line with an application seeking a ballot on Tuesday, a day after it filed documents with the Fair Work Commission.

Industrial action could mean stoppages of up to 48 hours and bans on overtime and uniforms.

The union slammed V/Line for refusing to address core concerns raised by union members during negotiations.

V/Line chief executive Matt Carrick. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

RTBU secretary Vik Sharma said V/Line “is not listening” to members’ concerns.

The ballot would mean that railway workers including conductors, train drivers, authorised officers, controllers, station staff and others would vote on whether or not to take industrial action.

If a ballot of members is approved by the FWC, members will vote on what industrial action to take.

A vote will likely take place in the last week of November.

“Job security, increased workloads, cost of living pressures, staffing levels, additional services and delivery of major upgrades, new ticketing technologies and increased patronage are all relevant factors in this bargaining round,” Mr Sharma said.

“V/Line have thus far failed to acknowledge the hard work of the workers who continue to make these services possible.”

V/Line chief executive Matt Carrick said the operator would “continue to bargain in good faith” to reach a “fair” outcome for its employees.

“We’re ensuring we provide excellent employment conditions for our workforce and a better service for our passengers,” he said.

“In the event of industrial action, we will work hard to minimise the impacts on passengers.”

According to its 2022-23 annual report, V/Line had a workforce of more than 2700 as of June 30.

Negotiations over the V/Line Rail Operations Enterprise Agreement, which covers the vast majority of V/Line staff, have taken place since June, when the previous agreement nominally expired.

Discussions around the V/Line Asset Management Agreement, a smaller enterprise agreement that covers maintenence workers and others, commenced in August.

The Geelong Advertiser understands the parties are well advanced in discussing their key claims and the future requirements of the network and workforce but there are areas where agreements are yet to be made.

Mr Sharma said the union was targeting V/Line and wanted to “minimise the impact on the travelling public”.

“As such we are committed to providing sufficient notice for alternative travel plans to be made,” he said.

The Geelong line is the busiest regional line in Victoria, carrying more than 8.1m passengers in the last financial year, more than the Ballarat, Bendigo and Seymour lines combined.

Statewide, the operator carried 18.6m passengers in the same period and provides 2200 rail services a week, along with 1500 buses.

Originally published as V/Line workers to vote on strike action over enterprise agreement