With NSW CityRail commuters in uproar over major train delays and driver shortages recently, two of the main sticking points have been overtime and new drug and alcohol testing protocols
WITH NSW CityRail commuters in uproar over major train delays and driver shortages recently, two of the main sticking points have been overtime and new drug and alcohol testing protocols.
Workers have complained about excessive levels of overtime, with some train drivers working 13 days in a 14-day period. Rail safety legislation stipulates that the legal limit is 12 days in a fortnight.
While the Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator says it has worked with RailCorp to ensure that legal levels of overtime will be in place by June 2004, Transport Services Minister Michael Costa said that overtime “has been common practice on the NSW railway for many years” – at a cost of $130 million a year.
“One of the issues that the unions have brought up is the issue of an industry that has always relied heavily on overtime – not just in the current environment,” said RailCorp spokeswoman Helen Willoughby.
“We are putting in a program where we will be increasing the numbers of drivers up to 1,320 from our existing force of about 1,220, and in doing so gradually and substantially reduce the amount of overtime that drivers are being asked to work.”
RailCorp was also in the process of reviewing its driver training course in order to try and accelerate the 26 month training period.
Another major sticking point for train drivers was the protocol for drug and alcohol testing, along with the availability of drivers for such testing.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) expressed concern over the effectiveness of the scientific protocols used in the testing, and criticised Transport Minister Costa’s refusal to discuss their concerns.
A spokesman for the AMWU said members supported the introduction of drug, alcohol and fitness testing, but wanted to be subject to the same system as police, fire and ambulance officers.
The State Transit Authority had introduced an education program for all drivers and was in the process of installing breathalysers in all depots, according to Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW secretary Nick Lewocki.
“There is no unionist out there that I believe would support their colleagues working under the influence,” he said. “These are good hard working people and sometimes they can be caught innocently by having a birthday party or going out for dinner the night before and not realising the alcohol in their system will take them over 0.02.”
After negotiations with State Transit management on the implementation of drug and alcohol testing, the RTBU announced that alcohol testing will commence on the 27 February, while drug testing will commence on 1 September later this year.
Protocols will be developed jointly with Labor Council and Unions, and the majority of State Transit employees will be subjected to the new testing process – including the white collar workforce.
Testing would be conducted by an external provider, and briefing sessions and information kits would be provided to the workforce.
RailCorp’s Willoughby said that drivers would get rostered off their normal duties to undertake the required briefings and tests.
“They might be off for one or two days overall for briefings, and then it depends on the results. They may have to go back for further testing depending on the results.”
