1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Now, as we know, Darwin commuters are facing major disruptions 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: today as bus drivers working for CDC strike for twenty 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: four hours. The Transport Workers Union says drivers are demanding 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: safer conditions and better pay following months of stalled negotiations 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: over a new enterprise agreement. Now, the union survey found 6 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: forty one percent of territory drivers have been physically attacked 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: on the job and eighty five percent say they may 8 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: leave if conditions do not improve. Now. Joining us on 9 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: the line is the Transport Workers Union Into Branch Secretary 10 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: Sam McIntosh. 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 2: Good morning, Sam, morning Katie. How are you? 12 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: Yeaham, Thanks for joining us. How are things going this 13 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: morning with the strike action. 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: Well, I'm here now, Katie, with a huge group of drivers. 15 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: As you can imagine, we're on twenty four hour strike. 16 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 2: This is a really disappointing day. It's not one that 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 2: we wanted to be having. We've been clear for a 18 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 2: long time now that we need industry standards and we 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 2: need a safer network and until we get it, this 20 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 2: driver group is going to pursue this pretty fundamental campaign. 21 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: So how many people, how many drivers are striking this morning? 22 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 2: I wouldn't have the exact number, Kadie, but enough that 23 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 2: all of the urban services had to be will not 24 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 2: operate as you know. We've ensured that school runs and 25 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 2: special needs runs continued for the day, and we'll be 26 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 2: continuing this afternoon. But this is a this is a 27 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 2: really an enormous action. We're disappointed. We apologize to the 28 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 2: community for the significant inconvenience that this has caused. But 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 2: I think the community feedback that we've been receiving has 30 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: been tremendous. We want to thank them for their support. 31 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: I think everyone understands that we've all got a stake 32 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 2: in having a safer bus industry and one that's there 33 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: for those who are behind the wheel. 34 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: I know that you have seed. 35 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: You know. 36 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: This is really about bringing NT drivers up to a 37 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: national industry standard. What is currently missing from this CDC offer. 38 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: Well, we've spoken about previously, Kadie. It's it's pretty fundamental 39 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: stuff like weekend over time penalty rates, loading that are 40 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 2: currently below industry standards, no annual leave loading, public holiday 41 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: rates that are far lower than elsewhere across the country. 42 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 2: These are the sorts of standards that we need to 43 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 2: see put in place here, and there's some pretty specific 44 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: examples but the overlays, as you really put well in 45 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: your intro, there is that those survey results that were 46 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 2: released today, that is harrowing. That's tough reading. Eighty five 47 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 2: percent of drivers say that this they don't see this 48 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 2: industry turn around in terms of pay, condition, safety. They're 49 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 2: going to consider walking away within the next twelve months. 50 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 2: That's a terrible outcome for our but it's also a 51 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 2: terrible outcome to the community. I mean, our drivers love 52 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 2: doing the job, That's why they do it. They want 53 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 2: to support our community and to have that kind of 54 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 2: feedback from the group, it's pretty difficult reading, let alone 55 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 2: those numbers that you read out about physical attacks and 56 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 2: verbal abuse. When you put it all together, tough reading, 57 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: and it shows that something's got to change, and pretty urgently. 58 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: So what are the next steps? I mean, what happens 59 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: if CDC doesn't come to the table or doesn't move 60 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: after today's strike. What options are on the table? Is 61 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: there going to be further industrial action? How far are 62 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: willing like, are your members willing to go? 63 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think everyone's pretty invested in creating this safer 64 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 2: and fair and network. I mean, we don't want to 65 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 2: be here. It's not something that we want to be doing. 66 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 2: But you know, I have to say, as we said 67 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: recently Katie, that we've got to reserve the right to 68 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: take further action if it's required. And I think from 69 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: the community's perspective, I think people will be understandably inconvenient today, 70 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 2: but I think people will also know that our Safe 71 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: Butts network, particularly in Darwin, Greater Darwin, Palmerston, it's so important. 72 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 2: This is how we connect our community. This is how 73 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 2: we not only get from A to B, but make 74 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 2: sure our kids get the school safely and return safely. 75 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 2: In people will want to know that their drivers are 76 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 2: on good industry rates that mean that they're going to 77 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: be attracted to the job and will also stay in 78 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: the job. And I think everyone wants to know that, 79 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: whether it's yourself or another loved one that's on the bus, 80 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: but it's a safe place to be and for our 81 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 2: drivers having those those sorts of survey results eighty four 82 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 2: percent of drivers saying that they've been verbally abused at work, 83 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 2: worrying it's not acceptable. 84 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: No. 85 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 2: Look, we know, we know that we've got a journey 86 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 2: ahead of a society, but chie's important. 87 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: Look, I will ask you in a moment about some 88 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: footage that came out last week as well around a 89 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: bus driver being assaulted. B Before I go there, though, 90 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: someone has message through Daimio and Johnson's message through and 91 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: said Katie, for those who look at cost of living pressures, 92 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: please note that the TWU have put their memberships membership 93 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: fees up since the last EBA in twenty twenty one. 94 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: He reckons they've gone up from five hundred and eighty 95 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: three dollars a year to eight hundred and ninety four. 96 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,599 Speaker 1: And he's really questioning, you know, when we're talking about 97 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: a pay rise, why the Transport Workers Union is then 98 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: charging members that much for their fees. 99 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 2: Well, I don't have look, Katie, I don't have the 100 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 2: numbers in front of me, and I dare say that 101 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 2: this is really missing the point of what we're talking about. 102 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 1: You. 103 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 2: I mean, what we've got right now is a group 104 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 2: of drivers who are standing together doing a twenty four 105 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 2: hour strike for the future of their industry. And this 106 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 2: is a pretty courageous thing to be doing. It takes 107 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 2: some amount of bravery to stand up for yourself and 108 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 2: your family and do what they're doing today. I think 109 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 2: that's the key message isn't it that we need a 110 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 2: safer workplace and affair work place. And the fact that 111 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 2: this group's come together and they're heavily unionized and united, 112 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 2: well that's a fantastic thing. But it's also a pretty 113 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 2: clear message to every stakeholder in the bus industry that 114 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 2: we're not going to stand still here. You know, we 115 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: just got to be turned around and very very quickly. 116 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: Sam Last week, this footage was shared of a brutal 117 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: attack on a bus driver, with a twenty two year 118 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: old pleading guilty to the assault, which actually happened last year. Now, 119 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: the man's who're yelling at the driver to change the 120 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: radio station, then climbs over the driver protection screen and 121 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,359 Speaker 1: kicks him in the head multiple times. I mean, the 122 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: footage is confronting, to say the least. You know, what 123 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: has been the reaction following on from that footage being released. 124 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: I'm assuming that all of the other drivers were aware 125 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: that that had happened, but you know, when you actually 126 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 1: see that brutality, what was the reaction. 127 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 2: Well, Cadid's horrific, and the reaction has been a mix 128 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 2: of disbelief from some quarters, anger, but also that it's 129 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 2: way too common I mean our drivers. Unfortunately, we've got 130 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 2: a huge group of drivers that are together here that 131 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 2: are sharing experiences that no one should have to put 132 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 2: up with at work. And you know, without going into 133 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 2: the ins and outs of the matter you're raising there, 134 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 2: it's horrific and no one should have to put up 135 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 2: with anything like that, and our drivers do have to 136 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: put up with it. It's all too common. But I 137 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 2: think that the message of the day that's certainly in 138 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 2: talking to our many, many, many members who are here 139 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 2: today altogether, is that what they're what they're trying to 140 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 2: do is is an act change here. I mean, this 141 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: has been very much a community campaign. We've had open 142 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 2: letters up in buses, We've been wearing high visibility vests 143 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 2: to communicate our campaign message. And really what we're trying 144 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 2: to do is communicate to the community here say look, 145 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: this is what we put up with. Unfortunately, the community 146 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,239 Speaker 2: knows this all too well. Anyone that takes a bus 147 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 2: regularly knows this all too well. But having seen footage, 148 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 2: I think our driver group thinks, look, it's unfortunately that 149 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: is happening way too often. And unfortunately I've had to 150 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 2: pour through the survey results for the one hundred odd 151 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 2: drivers who told their story to us very recently. And 152 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 2: I've got to tell you, Katie, com it's of difficult reading. 153 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 2: Is genuinely difficult reading. Some of the things that our 154 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 2: drivers have to put up with. You should never ever 155 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 2: have to put up with that anywhere, let alone at work. 156 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: And I think it adds a bit of context to 157 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 2: this fight for industry standards to say, and you know what, 158 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 2: it's a difficult job, it's a dangerous job. We do 159 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: our very best and we should at least be on 160 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 2: industry standards well. 161 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: Transport Workers Unions into Branch Secretary Sam mat Tosh, appreciate 162 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 1: your time this morning. And drivers will be back at 163 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: work for tomorrow morning, won't they. 164 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 2: They will, Katie, and completing the afternoon school runs this 165 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 2: afternoon and special needs runs, we'll be back there. And 166 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 2: as I've said previously, we appreciate the public support. And 167 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 2: if people are able to come on the bus and 168 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 2: say gooday and let our drivers know that they're backing 169 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 2: them in for a better industry, Jew'd appreciate it. 170 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: Sam, thanks so much for your time this morning. Really 171 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: appreciate I can hear all the action in the background there. 172 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: I'll let you go. Nay, all good. 173 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 2: It's a bit loud, but thank you very much for 174 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 2: the opportunity. 175 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: Thank you