United Voice News
Train staff want to vote on industrial action
MSS Revenue Protection Officers who check tickets and issue fines on the trains in Perth could bring the service to a standstill after management offered them a meagre pay rise.
The furious workers are applying to Fair Work Australia to ballot for protected industrial action after management described their log of claims as ‘a joke’.
Work bans like not checking customers’ tickets or manning checkpoints are being considered by the workers. They may also hold stop work meetings and refuse to wear their uniforms.
Carolyn Smith, assistant secretary of the LHMU said: “These officers have not had a pay rise for two years and we struggled for nine months to even get MSS to the negotiating table.
“In fact we had to take them to Fair Work Australia to get them to sit down at the negotiating table with us.
“They have offered these low paid workers Fair Work Australia’s minimum wage increase of $26 per week which they would get anyway, plus only 1.4% on top of that.
“For the following two years they have offered the workers 3%. But if the minimum wage rises again next year at the same rate as this year, MSS’ offer will see the workers go backwards.
“They also want to take some conditions away from the officers and that’s simply not good enough.
“These officers play a very important role on the trains. Their very presence on the carriages and in stations makes customers feel safer. They wear almost the same uniform as security officers and although they are not expected to handle any incidents of violence, they are often at the scene and have to deal with aggressive behaviour. Our members tell us they are regularly verbally abused, spat on, kicked, slapped and punched by customers so it’s not an easy job.
“Any sort of industrial action would cause a great deal of difficulty and a loss of revenue for Transperth so MSS should start listening to these workers and begin negotiating properly.
“All they are asking for is a fair pay deal.”
The application for the industrial action ballot is due to be issued at Fair Work Australia later this week. If the ballot is granted and is voted up, industrial action could potentially begin in the next two to four weeks.
