Gold Coast and Tweed commuters face more disruption on bus routes, with workers set to walk off the job again.
A fresh 24-hour strike has been called for this Friday, February 17, as workers continue to fight for better pay.
Letters have been sent to local schools this morning, with bus company Kinetic warning “significant impacts” to routes.
The company is urging parents and commuters to seek alternative transport if possible.
The strike action marks the third protest since December, with workers walking off the job for four hours on December 20, 2022 and for 24 hours on on January 31, 2023.
Since the 24-hour strike in January, the Transport Workers Union says Kinetic has not changed their offer.
In the letter to schools, the bus operator has urged students, parents, and staff that if they currently take a public bus service, they will need to make alternative arrangements.
Kinetic General Manager for South East Queensland James Saltmer has told myGC they have tried to negotiate with workers.
“Kinetic put forward a 12.2% pay increase across two years with an immediate 8.2% increase backdated to October 2022,” Mr Saltmer says.
“This offer was rejected by our team and Kinetic has received notification of further protected industrial action being taken by the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) and an Independent Bargaining Representative (IBR) in the form of a 24-hour stop work will occur from 12.05am Friday 17 February to 12.05am Saturday 18 February,
“This period of stop work will result in significant disruption to Gold Coast and Tweed bus services,
“Kinetic has put forward a strong financial offer that meets cost of living pressures and will see our drivers some of the best paid in Queensland.”
The Transport Workers Union says 77% of Surfside Drivers have voted against the Enterprise Agreement proposed by Kinetic this week.
QLD Director of Organising, Jared Abbott, says drivers have not had a pay rise in two years and say Kinetic is not coming to the table
“Bus driver wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of living, they don’t want just one cost of living increase and then another year of going backwards,” Mr Abbott says.
“It’s no surprise that there is industrial action when bus driver wages have failed to keep up with the cost of living and other like-for-like industries. “
“The industry is facing massive driver shortages causing delayed and cancelled bus services. We need to invest in drivers’ wages now.”
