Media release – Australian Services Union, 28 September 2023
EQUAL PAY FOR ALL METRO WORKERS IS THE ONLY DECENT OUTCOME
Anything less than funding and improving the wages and conditions of all core workers at Metro will achieve nothing, the Australian Services Union says.
The state government’s announcement that it will increase funding for Metro bus driver wages was undoubtedly needed but fixing the workforce challenges undermining Metro’s capability to deliver the public service Tasmanians rely on requires much more – including a commitment to ongoing funding increases.
High rates of turnover and vacancy are not isolated to drivers: administrative and operational staff represented by the ASU are also waiting patiently for an end to the challenges existing across the workforce.
Workers in operations, customer service, network planning and administration are facing understaffing and underpayment. Critical roles have sat at times unfilled for months. If you can’t roster drivers, support them on the road, or answer public enquiries you can’t fix these failings – and Metro’s operations will remain substandard.
‘If critical operational staff walk out the door on the back of this decision, because it makes them feel forgotten and disrespected, then Metro will continue to flounder and private operators will continue to circle,’ ASU Tasmanian coordinator Sam Batchelor says.
Ms Batchelor says too many of these workers are on a bare-minimum award wage, and they are walking away from Metro.
‘This package scratches the surface – but it won’t result in a better public transport system without further investment,’ Ms Batchelor says.
‘The only way the Tasmanian public will have the cut routes they deserve restored is for workforce issues to be solved properly.’
The ASU says all workers deliver Metro services and all Metro workers deserve fair pay and conditions. It’s the only way Tasmanians will get the public transport they deserve.
