
Issue No 29		03 September 1999

News

State Transit Lodges Claim on Bus Drivers

In a bizarre new industrial tactic, State Transit has lodged a claim on bus drivers to slash their current conditions after the workers refused to bid for a pay rise.

The Rail Bus and Tram Union says members were so sick of being forced to trade off hard-won conditions each time they asked for a pay pay rise that they had decided to forgoe the cyclical pay round this year.

But in a bid to slash costs, State Transit has lodged their own claim under the Workplace Relations Act, to which the union has to respond.

The RBTU has decribed the move as "a sheer act of bastardry", with proposals including:

- a one week reduction in annual holidays.

- reduced sick days from 15 to eight.

- capping the number of accrued sick days.

- reduction in overtime that can be accrued.

- longer unpaid meal breaks.- lengthening ordinary hours of work by two hours per day.

- reducing prepapration time for shifts.

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Issue 29 contents

Activists: Virtually Here - Eric Lee
From the Kibbutz to cyberspace, Andrew Casey profiles the work of an Internet class warrior.

Interview: Net Benefits
Sean Kidney has been combining business savvy with social justice for more than a decade. He gives us his take on unions and the Net.

International: Dateline Dili
As the United Nations attempts to begin counting the votes from East Timor’s independence referendum, the capital Dili is rapidly spiralling out of control.

Unions: Secret Herbs and Spices
Read KFC worker Claire Hamilton's speech to last week's Second Wave Rally.

Politics: Loosening Labor’s Links?
Is Labor under Kim Beazley fundamentally changing its social appeal and turning itself into the Australian equivalent of Bill Clinton’s Democrats?

Labour Review: What's New at the Information Centre
Our regular update on papers and articles for union officials and students.

History: Immigration, Racism and the Labour Movement
An upcoming conference asks some hard questions about the politics of immigration.

Satire: Crime Figures Down: NSW Elections Postponed
The release of statistics showing decreasing crime rates has threatened to delay the next NSW election.

Review: Trains of Treasure
A new CD of poems and songs pays tribute to our rich locomotive history.

» Workers’ Savings to Bankroll Vizard Plan

» Dress Nazis: Undies, Jewellery in Uniform Code

» Clothing Farce: Only the Smalls are Home Grown

» Overseas Trip for Organiser of the Year

» State Transit Lodges Claim on Bus Drivers

» Compo Stats Don’t Justify Slash and Burn

» Second Wave on Misos Menu

» Workers Rally To Protect Disabled Homes

» Carr Ministers’ New Years Eve Betrayal

» Telstra Execs Doing Quite Well, Thank You

» Award Breach. Did Nike Just Do It?

» Unions Back League Class Struggle

» STOP PRESS: Images of Burma

» Musos, Authors in Joint Fundraiser