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發表於 2007-8-22 21:49:23
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Bus drivers sick causing transport chaos
DON'T let your bus driver sneeze on you as you commute this afternoon - that's if you can find a bus driver to take you home.
Fifty-eight bus drivers at State Transit Authority's Ryde depot - a fifth of the rostered workforce of 300 - called in sick today, throwing morning bus services into chaos.
Claims that the mass sickie was a Clayton's strike have been denied by the STA and representatives of the bus drivers.
However - coincidentally perhaps - bus drivers are set to be the first public servants to be forced to phone a private nurse when calling in sick under a NSW Government plan to reduce sick leave.
The Government has demanded the measure as a productivity trade-off for a four per cent wage increase.
According to a poll on this site today, nearly two-thirds of readers believe the bus drivers weren't really sick. About 700 people have voted so far.
If you're one of the sick bus drivers, here's a helpful link to the White Pages so you can call a doctor to get that flu seen to. And if you're not really sick, here's a link to Centrelink - find another job.
And to our Ryde readers: Have you spotted one of the "sick" bus drivers - perhaps at a local GP? Send us a pic at [email protected]
Or, if like us, you don't really think they're all sick, then vote in our poll - below right.
This morning about 90 services were cancelled as STA management scrambled to cover shifts with drivers from other depots across Sydney.
Commuters along Victoria Rd battled to get on overcrowded city services while STA said disruptions were not as bad as expected.
STA acting chief executive Peter Rowley said it was unclear why clear why so many drivers were off.
''They started ringing in late last night and continued this morning so we will need to assess that when we get through the morning,'' he said.
Sources said STA are currently considering whether to take the matter to the Industrial Relations Commission.
Today's mass sickie had all the hallmarks of a similar incident in 2004 when 50 Sydney train drivers called in sick, throwing the CityRail network into meltdown.
Both train drivers and Government bus drivers are represented by the Rail Tram and Bus Union. Just like the train drivers in 2004, bus drivers are currently at a stalemate in wage negotiations.
RTBU vice president Peter Jenkins said insisted there was no organised nature to the mass sickie, saying that staff shortages had forced drivers into tiring 50-60 hour weeks.
''These guys share a meal room and are also exposed to plenty of bugs and viruses from customers at this time of year,'' Mr Jenkins said.
NSW Opposition leader Barry O'Farrell said he suspected there was more to it than flu en masse.
''Transport Minister John Watkins today needs to explain whether this is part of some coordinated exercise or whether it's just a coincidence,'' he said.
''Either way commuters are going to suffer.''
又玩野，唔怪得啦 |
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發表於 2007-8-17 17:46:22
