Waverley depot protests against harsh application of the discipline policy

Fed up with management’s lack of respect for workers and what they see as unreasonably tough reactions to minor offences, members at Waverley depot have voted unanimously to put discipline into dispute.

Members also voted for a petition to present to the depot manager expressing their anger and disappointment at this over-the-top regime.

The issues are many and varied, but include a driver who slept through the alarm and turned up to work late. The dirver was issued a final warning. The driver’s last ’late employed’ was 8 years ago!

The petition is popular, with drivers happy to vent their anger. Wendy Wirth, delegate for the depot, says the members are walking around with ‘smoke coming out of their ears’ after being subjected, or hearing of the treatment of colleagues, to this disrespectful manner management has taken this year.

This dispute is ongoing at present and members will have opportunity in the near future to assess management’s response and react accordingly.

Update uniform dispute – Magistrate critical of “poorly written” uniform allowance clause

The Chief Industrial Magistrate has made comments in ongoing proceedings which would suggest that the uniform allowance clause in our Award which was agreed on in 2007 is completely inadequate.  The magistrate stated in court that the clause was “poorly written with no amount stipulated”, he suggested that in the absence of an amount it would be very difficult for him to make orders.

The magistrate indicated that he found it disappointing that back in 2007 the STA and the Union allowed the clause in its current form to be inserted in the Award.  He instructed STA to write to the Union suggesting a dollar amount of the annual uniform allowance following which both parties would appear before him again and he would try and conciliate the matter.

While the Union solicitors acknowledged the magistrates comments and the associated difficulties, they are still confident that the Award can be varied to stipulate a dollar amount for the uniform allowance.

Date set for conciliation on uniform allowance dispute

A date has been set for conciliation on the Bus Division’s long running dispute with STA over uniform allowance.

Drivers continue to be denied the allowance they are owed for their uniforms needs by STA. This issue will now come before the Chief Industrial Magistrates Court on the 23^rd of January.

The key point of the dispute is establishing exactly how much the allowance should be and how much the drivers are owed.

A statement outlining the union’s position on this matter has been submitted and we are currently waiting on a statement from STA in response.

Drivers will be kept up to date on this dispute as it progresses.

Uniform dispute update

Union solicitors Slater & Gordon appeared in the Chief Industrial Magistrates Court again on Thursday July 30, where State Transit were forced to hand over documents relevant to the uniform dispute which had been subpoenaed by the union. Read more »