Newcastle EA Update 24 June 2025
The decision from the FWC today was that the wage reduction for not activating the BDC is to be 1.7%. This is just about the cost of a cup of coffee. The RTBU has written to the company who have confirmed they will transfer the difference they deducted tonight in a special pay run.
Following online meetings today, it was unanimously voted to push back against the stagnant wage offer of 4/3/3 over 3 years, with a 2% per annum rise for the year one trainees.
Bus drivers need a liveable wage and the company has been milking savings out of trainees for the life of this contract. It has to stop; without workers the are no profits and we deserve our share.
We have notified the company of two actions-
- Any response by the company to refuse partial work from employees (in response to any protected action we take), will trigger a 24-hour strike on the next weekday.
- We will not be driving any vehicle that has a persistent warning light.
Later this week we’ll set out exactly what to do around the second action depending on where you are with your bus.
BOTH actions become live Monday next week (30 June).
We’re down to the pointy end of negotiations with wages being the main outstanding item. It’s time to take the fight forward and secure the pay we deserve!