Games Rail Service in Limbo

Date: 12 May 2000

State Rail will be forced to find an extra 3,000 temporary staff after rail workers this week withdrew co-operation from pre-Games preparation over the rejection of their Olympics bonus claim.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union says it's withdrawn from all cooperation and negotiations in Olympics-related issues because of the State Government's stalling tactics in finalizing its $100-a-day Olympics allowance.

RTBU state secretary Nick Lewocki says the claims have been on the table since January 1998 and had been raised as an outstanding issue in every enterprise agreement since then.

The workers are now working strictly to their current award provisions and rostering principles and are refusing to take part in any Games planning.

This includes training on issues like crowd control and security that are essential for the transport system to operate during the Games. Without them the transport system will not be safe to operate, Lewocki warns.

He says the government will have to recruit these extra workers in the next three weeks if the Games transport is to progress smoothly.

The RTBU says its members deserve the bonus because of the increased demands the Games will bring, with public transport scheduled to run at 23-hour per day peaks.

Still Waiting on New Years Eve Pay

Meanwhile, workers at the Port Kembla Port Corporation are still waiting on the special bonus negotiated for all public sector workers required to work New Years Eve.

Maritime Union of Australia branch secretary Robert Coombs says the Corporation is refusing payment, claiming the "payment is discretionary and does not apply to corporatised entities".

NSW Labor Council secretary Michael Costa says this is nonsense and that the deal covers all government-owned authorities.

"I don't know what's going on but if it continues the management ought to be sacked," Costa says.

For further information

Contact:	Peter Lewis
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
WWW:	http://workers.labor.net.au/

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