Perth Train Strikes As Drivers Call in Sick | Delays | Royal Show

as was posted here ... Perth Train Strikes As Drivers Call in Sick | Delays | Royal Show

Train drivers plan indefinite stress leave

Katherine Fenech and Liam Phillips

September 24, 2010 - 10:35AM

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Perth train drivers strike

Train drivers again call in sick en masse, disrupting commuters and threatening the start of the Royal Show.

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Train drivers are applying for indefinite stress leave as Perth rail system strains under more "blue flu" strike action today and for the first day of the Perth Royal Show tomorrow.

Public Transport Authority spokesman David Hynes confirmed 53 drivers had called in sick today, forcing rail services this morning to operate with significant delays.

Trains on the Thornlie line have been cancelled, with commuters being told to take the Armadale line instead.

Last month's train drivers' 'mass sickie' caused chaos for Perth commuters. Photo: Katherine Fenech

Trains on all lines are running every half hour, with services on the Mandurah and Joondalup lines running on the hour and half-hour, while services on the Midland, Fremantle and Armadale lines are running on the 15-minute and 45-minute mark of every hour.

Mr Hynes said the size of all trains had been increased to the maximum capacity to cope with the demands on the reduced services, but he urged commuters to consider alternative transport options.

"If there's an easy option, perhaps look at it," he said. "The train services are there, but obviously they are running slower than normal."

Mr Hynes said to help alleviate the afternoon peak-hour rush on the Mandurah/Joondalup lines, city commuters travelling south were being urged to board trains at the Esplanade station, while those travelling north should board at the Perth Underground station.

Bus drivers have been told they may be needed to replace trains if more drivers call in sick and services need to be cancelled.

Main roads were experiencing heavier traffic than usual this morning as commuters took to their cars to avoid the train chaos.

Commuters packed onto train platforms this morning in an effort to squeeze onto the services available but most stations were virtually clear by 8.30am.

Pay dispute splits workforce

A bitter pay dispute has exposed serious divisions in the 260-strong train driver workforce, with 240 opting to be represented by Perth lawyer Peter Momber and the rest staying with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.

Mr Momber warned transport chaos could continue indefinitely as drivers sought to go on sick leave.

"The representatives of that group (of drivers), they just can't cope any longer and have told me that there will be a significant number seeking to go off on stress leave," Mr Momber said.

"They have to go to a doctor nominated by their employer and who knows what those doctors will say. But within our medical system every doctor is highly reputable and unlikely to bow to public pressure."

Attempts by the WA Industrial Relations Commission to bridge the gap between the two groups of drivers, their employer the PTA and the state government came to an end yesterday afternoon.

Commissioner Stephen Kenner ordered an end to wage negotiations and signalled the dispute would instead go into arbitration, meaning a third party would make a decision on the claim.

If more than 15 drivers call in sick, Commissioner Kenner ordered they would have to obtain proof of their illness from doctors chosen by the PTA, or forfeit their right to sick pay. Those who didn't attend would have the cancellation fee deducted from their wages.

Their colleagues would have to make themselves available for extra shifts.

Mr Momber's majority group of drivers are seeking a back payment of around $13,600, to bring the base pay rate in line with the consumer price index since 2006. It would see the base pay rate up to $1130 a week from $1042. They have also asked for a shift allowance increase.

"They are the worst paid train drivers in Australia by anybody's measure, if they are granted this increase they will be equal to the next worst paid group," Mr Momber said.

"I think the public of WA are going to get sick of this, they are going to hit us because you always hit the person you can see."

"I can tell you my clients are having to resort to the only thing that's left to them. If they can't work and the general public can't use the public transport system then the government has got to come to the party."

Union represented drivers were seeking a 6 per cent pay rise while the government had offered a 3.75 per cent rise in the first year and 4 per cent in the second, according to union secretary Phil Woodcock.

Both Premier Colin Barnett and Opposition transport spokesman Ken Travers condemned any industrial action that would disrupt the Perth Royal Show.

Organisers expect between 50,000 and 60,000 people to head to the show's opening day, most of whom would need to use public transport because of limited parking.

WA's tough anti-smoking laws in force - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

as was posted here ... WA's tough anti-smoking laws in force - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The toughest anti-smoking laws in the country will come into effect in WA today.

From today, smoking will be banned in cars carrying children, between the flags at beaches and within 10 metres of playground equipment.

Restrictions will also apply in alfresco areas and retailers will be banned from displaying tobacco products.

The Australian Council on Smoking and Health president Mike Daube thinks the laws will help more people quit smoking.

"It means quite simply that we're going to be saving more lives and preventing more disease," he said.

"I think it's going to help a lot of people quit. We know from the evidence that just the news about measures like this is an incentive to quit and the introduction of measures to protect people from the dangers of passive smoking; this reminds smokers that their smoking doesn't just harm them, it harms other people."

The Asthma Foundation's Fiona Gardener hopes the laws will benefit asthmatics.

"For a lot of people that I know the only thing that triggers an asthma attack for them is exposure to cigarette smoke so obviously asthma is a very serious condition and people do sadly continue to die from asthma attacks, even in this day and age so anything that reduces their exposure to triggers is a fantastic thing from our perspective.

"We're quietly confident that it will be effective."

Ms Gardener says the foundation will be monitoring the incidence of asthma attacks over the next couple of months to see whether there is any impact.

The Australian Hotels Association believes there is a lack of awareness in the community about the laws and says a bigger education campaign should have been rolled out before they were introduced.

Enforcement

While police will be responsible for monitoring smoking in cars, local governments will have to enforce most of the new laws.

Broome Shire President Graeme Campbell said yesterday it is a flawed system.

"Governments, both federally and state, bring in laws involving local government without resourcing," he said.

"Certainly from a shire perspective, we will be looking at the legislation, we'll be looking at our responsibilities but it may be some time before we're able to enforce them."

The Health Department's Jim Dodds says he is not expecting problems.

"Local governments have for some years been been responsible for enforcing that legislation and that will continue with the new changes," he said.

"We've believe that the current resourcing they've got with their environmental health officers and rangers will allow them to enforce the legislation in the way that they have enforced other public health legislation in their communities," he said.

Residents act on dispute - inMyCommunity - Perth, Western Australia

as was posted here ... Residents act on dispute - inMyCommunity - Perth, Western Australia

WARTON Road residents are considering using the Local Government Act to pressure the City of Gosnells to address compensation claims over alleged damage to homes during City roadworks.

The residents initially considered a class action against the City but the high legal cost led them to consider cheaper options.

One alternative is to rely on the Local Government Act, which says any dispute over the amount of compensation is to be determined by arbitration.

Southern River MLA Peter Abetz recently wrote to Gosnells chief executive Ian Cowie to say the residents wanted to proceed with arbitration.

Each party must appoint an arbitrator, so Mr Abetz asked the City to advise which arbitrator it would choose.

Mr Abetz also sent copies of expert reports from four residents to the City of Gosnells, highlighting the damage to their homes.

These included two dilapidation reports and two engineering reports.

A fifth resident also produced a comprehensive file with video evidence of alleged damage, and quotes for repairs totalling $8000.

If the City of Gosnells fails to appoint an arbitrator, the residents could make an appointment for the City under the Commercial Arbitration Act.

Should the costs become prohibitive for the residents, Mr Abetz said residents with smaller claims of less than $10,000 could instead take individual action through the Small Claims Tribunal of the Magistrates Court.

Mr Cowie said the City of Gosnells was currently seeking expert advice.

The City’s insurer previously denied the residents compensation because it concluded the road duplication works met standard procedures and guidelines, and that the City had not been negligent.

Up to 27 homes are believed to be involved in the action.

Compensation claims lodged with the City’s insurers were denied in June.