Sydney bus strike called

[JV911]

Sydney bus strike called

The NSW Government will take the bus drivers' union to the industrial relations commission to try to head off a 24-hour strike that will wipe out services around Sydney tomorrow.

The Rail Tram and Bus Union says award negotiations between bus drivers and the NSW Government have broken down and drivers will stop work from 4am tomorrow until 4am on Saturday.

It is understood the State Government will challenge the proposed strike in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission at 1.30pm today.

If it fails to stop the strike, no State Transit Authority buses will operate from first service tomorrow.

Private bus services will not be affected.

The union’s bus division secretary Raul Baonza said drivers were sick of being ignored by the Government.

He said the Government had chosen to ignore the matter for the past six months.

‘‘Workers are sick of constant cuts to the quality of public transport in NSW and the quality of STA [State Transit Authority] bus services in particular, and have decided to take a strand,’’ Mr Baonza said in a statement. - workers are? how about paying customers??? - JV

The union is apologising to travellers for any inconvenience, but says it has been left with no other option but industrial action, after six rounds of negotiations with the Government.

Mr Baonza said the STA posted a profit of more than $45 million last financial year but bus drivers were being asked to accept cuts to basic conditions before they could get a fair pay rise.

State Transit was offering bus drivers only a 2.5 per cent pay rise and would not consider anything above that unless there were cuts to workers' conditions and the quality of services, the union said.

[ni78ck]

i guess a big inconvieniance for alot of people, my wife included!
we are revisiting the days of old where the posties and others are joining in

[gavinr]

They've picked a good day for it

I thought I'd see lots of extra cyclists this morning but it seems the rain has put everyone off.

[Strawburger]

Lots of people walking over the anzac bridge for the first time! more walkers than riders today.

[ni78ck]

more sickies today too

[JV911]

RiverCat was obviously more packed than normal this morning. Free travel for bus ticket holders.

workers walk as bus drivers strike (who was that in the DHBC jersey?) followed by "Keneally reacts to bus strike"

[sogood]

who was that in the DHBC jersey?

Don't recognise. There are lots of red jerseys out there these days.