Tensions are rising in Victoria’s bus industry ahead of a second planned bus driver strike in Melbourne’s north next week.
Following the major driver strike from staff at both Dyson Group and CDC Victoria late last month, the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) has advised both operators of its intention to take further industrial action on Monday and Tuesday next week.
More than 1,300 TWU members organised the largest bus strike in Victoria’s history to date, shutting down one-third of the state’s bus routes and charter services.
The planned stoppage on Monday June 16 will impact CDC and Dysons services in regional Victoria and across Melbourne’s west, north and north-east.
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While TWU delegates and officials are meeting with CDC today and remain hopeful that the industrial action can be avoided with CDC, the union says Dysons isn’t coming to the party on negotiations.
“Unfortunately, Dysons has refused to sit down with the TWU since the hugely successful strike action, despite requests from the union to do so,” TWU director of organising Sam Lynch says.
Lynch has slammed Dysons’ refusal to progress discussions, urging the bus company to “come back to the table”.
“A second strike isn’t a decision we have taken lightly. We know the impact this will have on commuters and drivers who have already given up a fair day’s pay,” Lynch says.
“But Dyson’s stubbornness has left us with no choice. It’s time for these bus companies to get serious, meet with workers and come back with a deal that gives bus drivers the respect they deserve.”
In response, Dysons says the union has now had more than four weeks to submit a counteroffer to the current proposal, with Dysons saying on several occasions it would review such an offer.
Dysons’ latest offer to drivers will be voted on for a second time today, with the proposal including a minimum 13 per cent wage increase over three years for metropolitan drivers with a nine per cent increase occurring in the first year. This would then be followed by CPI or two per cent rises, depending on which is higher, in subsequent years.
“We even offered today to meet about a counteroffer, despite the threat of industrial action.
Regrettably, no counteroffer has been submitted,” a Dysons spokesperson told ABC.
CDC Victoria says it has received the formal notification regarding planned protected industrial action over 48 hours from June 16, encouraging passengers to check the PTV website for the latest updates on disruptions.
“We remain committed to continuing the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement discussions in good faith and working collaboratively with the TWU and our workers to reach a fair and reasonable resolution,” a CDC Victoria spokesperson told ABC.
The TWU says it isn’t ruling out further industrial action until CDC and Dysons move on their claims.
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