Victorian operator Dyson Group has confirmed it has received notice of an upcoming two-day bus driver strike occurring next week as pay disputes continue to intensify.
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) has given Dysons notice of its plan to take protected industrial action for two consecutive 24-hour periods starting at 3am on Monday June 16. This announcement follows the TWU withdrawing its planned industrial action this Thursday and Friday (June 12 and 13) due to it being unlawful because it breached Fair Work Commission minimum notification requirements.
“The TWU’s refusal to present a counteroffer and its initiation of further industrial action is disappointing, particularly given our proposal in March for a generous new agreement that will deliver significant wage and benefit outcomes for drivers,” Dyson Group CEO Andrew Jakab says.
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“Through its rogue actions the TWU will once again disrupt thousands of Victorians and is depriving drivers of the generous benefits of our current offer. This is bizarre behaviour from an organisation that purports to put its members first.”
Jakab says a second vote on its latest offer to drivers will occur this Thursday, 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.
“Our offer is the most competitive in the industry and would deliver immediate financial benefits to drivers—who have already lost close to $1,500 in higher wages since April 1 when the agreement could have taken effect,” Jakab says.
This latest round of Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) issues comes after both Dysons and CDC bus drivers went on strike in Melbourne in late May, bringing a third of Melbourne’s bus services to a standstill.
If the latest proposal from Dysons is accepted by most drivers, the planned industrial action for next week would also become unlawful. If the offer is instead rejected a second time, and the TWU proceeds with the strike, Dysons will be forced to withdraw its current proposal and restart negotiations.
Jakab says if this does happen, any future offer will be adjusted to reflect the financial impact of continued disruptions.
“We will be working hard to convince drivers to accept our current proposal so that we can avoid disruptive strike action and get drivers on the new agreement and getting paid higher wages as soon as possible,” he says.
“As a family-owned business with over 73 years of delivering quality public transport and charter bus services, we’re committed to maintaining a reliable, high-quality service for our passengers. That’s why we’ve been working constructively to finalise a new EBA as soon as possible.”
Jakab says Dysons remains committed to reaching an agreement on the new EBA within its current budget while mitigating any further industrial action.
If next week’s planned industrial action does proceed, the operator says it’ll work closely with the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning to minimise disruptions to its passengers and customers.
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