Duncan Meerding, Hobart
On February 2, 3 and 6, bus drivers for Tasmania's main public transport supplier, Metro Tasmania, will be taking industrial action to win a wage rise.
During the week of January 15-20, Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) members employed by Metro held stop-work meetings around the state. They voted overwhelmingly to reject Metro Tasmania management's pay rise offer of 4% a year for three years. They are claiming a 33% wage increase.
RTBU Tasmanian state secretary Sandro Amicosance told Green Left Weekly, "Our basic rate is $16.30 an hour and on that, 4% is extremely little". A 33% wage rise, he said, would "bring us into line with our mainland counterparts".
After voting at the meetings to reject management's offer, the workers decided to hold a series of "rollover" strikes starting in Hobart on February 2. The drivers will strike in Hobart on February 2, 3 and 6, and in Launceston on February 7, 8 and 9.
Amicosance said that if no resolution is found by the end of the rollover strikes, "all depots will strike at the same time ... We're actually planning a long campaign to get our point across."
Linda Seaborn, a union activist and the Socialist Alliance's candidate for Denison in the soon to be announced state election, told GLW, "It is important that everyone in Tasmania gets behind the bus drivers. The Howard government and big business have racheted up their war on working people with their industrial relations laws, and in that context any workers fighting for decent wages and conditions should inspire us all. Their campaign will ensure that bus driving is a viable job option in the future."
Amicosance told GLW: "In the past, the excuse [for the lower wages in Tasmania] has been that the cost of living in Tasmania has been below the cost of living on the mainland. But that is not true any more." The cost of many necessities, such as food, clothing and petrol, are higher in Tasmania than on the mainland, and housing is catching up fast.
"We do the same work as our mainland counterparts so why don't we get the same pay?", Amicosance said. He added, "We don't feel that we are asking for anything outlandish. We are only asking for what everybody else gets, so we can meet our fortnightly bills."
To support the striking bus drivers, come to the Parliament Lawns in Hobart at 9am on February 2, 3 and 6.
From Green Left Weekly, February 1, 2006.
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