Stanhope Government slated for lack of fair dealing with ACTION bus drivers

EBA negotiations for ACTION Buses are now at a stalemate, thanks to the Stanhope Government’s spiteful, uncommunicative approach to bargaining.

Now the government has drawn fire from the opposition for its conduct. On Sunday, Shadow Transport Minister Alistair Coe stood up for members in criticising Stanhope for not listening to us.
 
All this comes on top of the media’s reporting of the frosty reception the Chief Minister received from our members at the ALP conference on Saturday. 
 
The government’s insistence that the 60 per cent full-time staff clause would be abolished was key to the dispute.

After a series of stop-work meetings, members voted unanimously to reject the government’s demands, and have vowed to fight for as long as it  takes to retain conditions that have been hard-won over many years.

There is no prospect of an immediate result. Members are aware that this will be a long and hard-fought campaign, but are buoyed by the solidarity everyone has shown throughout. ACT Sub-branch Secretary Klaus Pinkas said there was no prospect of an immediate resolution.

After a number of trips to Fair Work Australia, ACTION has still refused to budge from its position. It still refuses to put a pay offer on the table.

Members have now given the go-ahead for further industrial action to maintain pressure on the Stanhope government to deal with us fairly.