By Chantal Wynter
MELBOURNE — In the first week of September tram workers held a series of stop-work meetings to vote on an enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) proposed by the Public Transport Union. The EBA consisted of 10 conditions to be traded off in return for a 2.6% wage rise. The union executive agreed to negotiate on four of these conditions, including voluntary overtime, introduction of part-time workers and fortnightly pay. Currently workers are paid weekly.
Union officials attended each of the stop-work meetings and argued in favour of the EBA. Despite this, six depots out of eight voted to reject it.
Brunswick tram conductor Tully Bates commented, "The leadership of the union is trying to sell us out. For the last few years we have given up too many conditions in return for pathetic wage rises. Members are not prepared to bargain off any more of our hard won conditions."
Trammies reject EBA
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