A planned four-hour stop-work for Metro Trains workers this Friday has been postponed, with the Rail Tram & Bus Union expecting an “improved offer” from the employer. Strike action by Yarra Trams staff is still scheduled to take place.
Yarra Trams workers are still set to strike from 10am to 2pm on Friday, August 21. Metro Trains staff were originally set to join them, but RTBU secretary Luba Grigorovitch says ongoing negotiations with Metro Trains have progressed slightly.
“Metro have agreed to withdraw their application at the Fair Work Commission and recommence negotiations from 9am tomorrow (Wednesday, August 19),” Grigorovitch said.
“On this basis the RTBU will postpone all of our planned industrial action.”
The union has cancelled the ‘free travel’ days planned for commuters on Wednesday and Friday. Workers were prepared to leave ticket gates open, and refuse to check tickets.
But all that was cancelled on Tuesday with the update from the union, which is representing Metro Trains and Yarra Trams employees in a pair of concurrent enterprise bargaining agreement processes.
“We have received a commitment that we will be given an improved offer by this Friday 21 August,” Grigorovitch continued. “Mass meetings of the membership will be held next week so we can put the new offer to a vote.”
Grigorovitch said the union continues to act in good faith, and said members would prefer to avoid industrial action if an agreement can be reached.
“However, the level of frustration among our members is at an all-time high,” she said, “and we will take industrial action if Metro doesn’t honour its undertakings.
“We have made it very clear to the government and Metro that even though this is a significant step forward we reserve our right to take protected industrial action if the negotiations break down again.”
Grigorovitch insisted the union was fighting for more than just a good financial offer for its members.
“With Melbourne moving towards a 24-hour transport network it is essential that these negotiations address issues of safety and wellbeing for workers and the travelling public,” she said.