Daily Telegraph: It’s end of the line for rail chairs

HUNDREDS of train staff are having their chairs taken away to improve customer service on Sydney’s rail network, sparking a stand-up fight with the workers’ union.

After a successful trial at Central Station, chairs are being removed from ticket gates at stations across the city.

Sydney Trains also wants to remove control boxes, where platform staff sit between trains, for the same reason.

However, the Rail Tram and Bus Union complains that making Customer Service Attendants spend close to eight hours a day on their feet will lead to health and safety issues.

Sydney Trains said chairs have been removed for staff monitoring ticket barriers at Central, the City Circle and a number of suburban stations so they are “available to quickly help customers” and not stuck in back offices.

JIM O’ROURKE, Daily Telegraph

2 February 2016