Union stands against Baird’s grubby deal on Newcastle Buses

Mike Baird’s decision to privatise Newcastle’s public transport system is a grubby deal that will cost jobs and leave Newcastle commuters short-changed, according to the RTBU.

Branch Assistant Secretary, Dave Woollams today told a community rally in Newcastle to keep pressuring the Baird Government to change its decision and to keep bus and ferry services in public hands.

“Newcastle’s public transport system – and the Newcastle community – are being sold down the river in a grubby deal by a grubby Government,” he said.

“You’d think that all after all the revelations in ICAC about the Liberal Party’s grubby relationship with property developers and big business, especially here in the Hunter, that Mike Baird might at least try to ease back on the cozy deals for a while.

“In fact, you’d think a Government with even a skerrick of respect for the community, and the most basic sense of decency and integrity, would stop making cozy deals altogether.

“But this Premier is so shameless that’s he’s not only bowed to the wishes of the property developers and the lobbyists to cut Newcastle rail line in half, he’s even promised to hand over the keys to the ferries and the bus services so his mates in big business can screw the community even more.”

Mr Woollams said the privatisation of local public transport services would see good, hard working people lose their jobs

“The lucky ones who get to keep working for the new company will undoubtedly see their pay and conditions slashed.

“And the people of Newcastle will have to make do with less regular services that meet the needs of the operators rather than the needs of the community.”

Mr Woollams said the Rail, Tram and Bus Union would not stand by and watch the public transport workers of Newcastle, and the people of Newcastle, be treated with such callous contempt.

“We’re going to fight this one all the way.”