Sure, we’ve all had a bloody good laugh about the recent tram and train strikes that have been rolling across Melbourne for a few hours at a time here and there. And it’s been fine, y’know? A weird, curious anomaly that surely will go away soon.
But here’s the thing. It’s not. It’s not going anywhere.
The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union remains at loggerheads with Yarra Trams and Metro Trains, with the industrial action apparently doing absolutely nothing to hasten the resolution of the pay and working conditions dispute that has brought the city to a complete halt on three separate days over the past two weeks.
So what do you do when strike action doesn’t work? Unfortunately for everyone, you ramp that shit up.
The RTBU has now applied to the Fair Work Commission to extend their protected action – basically, their right to strike – and that application includes the provision for a strike that lasts a whole TWENTY FOUR HOURS.
Any strike action needs to be declared a full week in advance, and the Train arm of the union has not as of yet declared intentions to maintain the pattern, so any additional strike action will not take place until at least next Friday at the absolute earliest.
But this is far from over for Melbourne.
Far, far, far from over.
Photo: Michael Dodge via Getty Images.
via Herald Sun.
