TYNE LOGAN

April 16, 2014

Perth train lines may be disrupted today by an anticipated stop-work meeting from Australian Services Union members.

Public Transport Authority managing director Mark Burgess said in a press release train operations would be affected between about 10.30am and 2.30pm.

PTA communications manager David Hynes said the authority was in complex enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations regarding issues such as pay and the meeting was a tactic to address this.

He said it was only members from the train control area who would affect train services.

“Admin and other staff can go off and have their meeting for an hour and it won’t affect the running of the system, but it’s the people in the train control area that we can’t afford to just take off,” he said.

Mr Hynes said it was only a small group of members but it would still affect all services.

“This will affect every train and every line,” he said.

Paul Burlinson from the ASU said the stop work meeting was to discuss potential action against inadequate wages.

He said the government had indicated it was not authorised to grant increases in wages over 2.5 per cent, but the increase would need to be 2.9 per cent to cover the cost of living in Perth.

“Ultimately those staff will be several thousands of dollars worse off,” he said.

“In the meeting today members will discuss what’s going to come of this.”

The PTA has organised replacement bus services for today.

Train lines are expected to return to normal schedule by afternoon peak time.

Homepage photography: Trisha Tsuei