A bus strike is under way in Adelaide, causing major disruptions to the city’s public transport network as many commuters return to work for 2023.
Bus drivers from Torrens Transit have begun a 24-hour strike from 3am on Monday, with the Transport Workers Union and Torrens Transit preparing to hold talks on Tuesday.
It comes after an earlier breakdown in negotiations over a new enterprise agreement, with TWU officials claiming driver safety, pay and conditions are in “tatters”.
TWU South Australia and Northern Territory branch secretary Ian Smith said bus drivers had not wanted to take industrial action but had been left with no choice.
The bus drivers and TWU are demanding an increase in their hourly rate from $25 to $32, along with a 15 per cent loading for hours worked outside 7am to 7pm, improved penalty rates and safety upgrades.
“Strike action is a last resort and not a decision the workforce takes lightly, but our hardworking bus drivers have been given no choice,” Mr Smith said.
“Torrens Transit have put a completely unacceptable and inadequate offer on the table which will do nothing to turn our industry around and will only see our drivers go backwards.
“Driving a bus used to be a good and sought-after job, but that’s not the case anymore. Bus drivers are leaving the industry in droves. Make no mistake – this isn’t happening for no reason.”
Drivers were not “asking for the world” in negotiations, Mr Smith said.
Torrens Transit believed it was already offering “above market” rates and conditions for its staff, a spokeswoman told NCA NewsWire.
“We are disappointed the union is proceeding with strike action, particularly in the light of a planned meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 10 January, 2023,” she said.
“We had hoped to negotiate in good faith, and work collaboratively; however, this industrial action from the union does not demonstrate these principles and aims to inconvenience the public.
“We have already committed to a first-year wage increase of 5.75 per cent and offered an additional 0.25 per cent to the national superannuation guarantee rate for each year of the agreement.”
Torrens Transit still hoped to reach an agreement with the bus drivers and TWU at Tuesday’s meeting, the spokeswoman said.
Adelaide Metro encouraged commuters to make alternative transport plans or work from home due to bus services being “significantly impacted” by industrial action.
Bus routes in the East-West, Outer North East (O-Bahn), North-South and Outer North areas were affected, the service said.
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