Sydney bus strike called GEORGINA ROBINSON December 17, 2009 - 12:16PM http://www.smh.com.au/national/sydney-bus-strike-called-20091217-kyfw.html The union representing Sydney bus drivers today apologised to commuters for a snap 24-hour strike called for tomorrow, saying it has no alternative after the State Transit Authority walked away from negotiations. The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) says award negotiations between bus drivers and the NSW government broke down three weeks ago, prompting drivers to walk off the job from 4am (AEDT) tomorrow until 4am (AEDT) on Saturday. The NSW government will attempt to block the strike with a challenge in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission today. "We've been negotiating with State Transit now for about six months to try and get an enterprise agreement," the union's bus division secretary Raul Baonza told Macquarie Radio. "About three weeks ago State Transit walked away from the negotiating table, so we don't see anyway forward to get someone to talk to us. "We were negotiating what we thought were good faith negotiations and we got a letter from State Transit saying they were no longer prepared to negotiate with the union ... and that they were seeking the assistance of the IRC." The union is apologising for any inconvenience to the travelling public, but says it has no option but industrial action after six months of failed negotiations with the government. State Transit was offering bus drivers only a 2.5 per cent pay rise and would not consider anything above that unless there were cuts to workers conditions and the quality of services, the union said. Mr Baonza said the STA posted a profit of more than $45 million last financial year but bus drivers were being asked to accept cuts to basic conditions before they could get a fair pay rise. "We apologise for the inconvenience - it is not something that we do lightly," he said. "State Transit Buses haven't been on strike for more than ten years, but we are really in a position where we have nowhere else to go." Asked if there was any way of averting the strike, Mr Baonza said "absolutely". "If the government is prepared to sit down and make us a reasonable offer," he said. "The fact that State Transit has made a $45 million profit ... then it can easily be avoided." -- 嗯，45million 換公車準備漲價嗎？ -- 今日も今も何もないけど 声が届く場所探している 争ってる人見る度 早くあなたに会いたい --

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