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Rail Network Cleaning Workers Back MP’s Outsourcing Opposition

Feb 28, 2014RTBU News

Workers are backing the NSW Opposition’s condemnation of the privatisation by stealth of the rail network’s cleaning division, the Rail, Tram & Bus Union says.

RTBU NSW Secretary Alex Claassens congratulated MP Noreen Hay for moving in Parliament yesterday the opposition to the Government’s attempts to outsourcing of 35 per cent of cleaning staff on the publicly owned network.

Ms Hay today moved that the house recognises that

“… Under the current Government more than 60 per cent of staff have been forced to apply for redundancies with more to be expected following further restructuring of train and bus services across the region.”

Mr Claassens said the travelling public across NSW deserved properly maintained trains and platforms and this is incompatible with the Government’s agenda of slashing jobs and services.

“Pressure from the RTBU has been instrumental in ensuring cleaning staff at some depots in the Illawarra and in Sydney escaped the outsourcing axe, but other locations remain in the gun,” he said.

“And at those depots that will continue to be run by the Government, overall staff numbers remain a crucial issue.

The RTBU is aware of a current Government review of these worksites and it’s feared the likely recommendation will be further job cuts.

“Three years of constant restructures has already resulted in overall cleaner numbers being run down from an operational workforce of 805 down to just 630,” Mr Claassens said.

“Add to that a massive increase in workload, cutbacks in available equipment and the spectre of outsourcing and it’s no wonder cleaners have applied for redundancies in droves.

“The RTBU calls on the Government to drop its privatisation by stealth campaign and provide genuine service improvements for passengers and remove the job uncertainty hanging over rail workers.”

 

RAIL CLEANING STAFF OUTSOURCING, MS NOREEN HAY to move—

That this House:

(1) Condemns the Government for attempting to privatise Sydney’s public transport by moving to outsource 35 per cent of cleaning staff on the rail network.

(2) Notes that under the current Government more than 60 per cent of staff have been forced to apply for redundancies with more to be expected following further restructuring of train and bus services across the region.

(3) Recognises that this decision will result in large numbers of further job losses which will extend to other divisions within the public transport network.

(4) Acknowledges that the outsourcing of public transport services is evidence of the Government’s campaign to privatise public assets without regard to job losses or its impact on local economies.

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