RTBU VIC asks court to rescind orders blocking train strikes

The RTBU has applied to the Federal Court to rescind orders issued last month halting planned industrial action against Metro Trains Melbourne, which would see workers leaving ticket barriers open and refusing to check MyKi travel cards.

Federal Court Justice Snaden blocked the action last week on the grounds that the RTBU had not complied with all parts of his court order, which included putting an update on noticeboards at all stations across the entire network by 4pm the next day, which was also a Saturday.

The requirement was part of an order directing the union to take “all reasonable steps” to inform its members that that commuters could not travel for free during the action.

Luba Grigorovitch, RTBU Victoria Secretary, said “Metro is trying to use legal technicalities to stop RTBU members from taking protected industrial action in pursuit of a fair enterprise agreement despite having creamed and offshored millions of taxpayer dollars in profits.”

Metro Trains Melbourne Chief hit back, rejecting the notion that Metro was “somehow responsible for the RTBU not complying with court orders”.

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