Prioritise Rapid COVID Testing and Vaccination for Transport Workers

NSW Government urged to prioritise rapid COVID testing and vaccination for transport workers as transport delays hit Sydney

Commuter chaos

The NSW Government needs to introduce rapid COVID testing for transport workers and priority access to vaccination, or we risk further significant interruptions to our passenger and freight transport services, RTBU NSW has warned.

The call comes as many passenger transport routes across the city were cancelled on August 18 due to large numbers of workers being deemed close or casual COVID contacts. The union has written to NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance urging the Minister to ensure that all transport workers throughout the state be given access to rapid COVID testing and for priority access to vaccination to be offered to all transport workers wanting it. Secretary Alex Claassens said that the service disruptions seen across Sydney will only spread and get worse unless immediate action is taken. “Our transport workers can have hundreds of interactions with community members over the course of a shift – it’s vital they have the best protection possible to continue their essential, frontline work,” Mr Claassens said. “Common sense tells you that in order to protect the public and transport workers and their families across the state, this situation needs to be sorted out as soon as possible. “Cutting services at a time when we’re trying to ensure that people are able to physically distance as much as possible is dangerous. “We need transport services to continue to operate in order to get other essential workers like health care workers where they need to go and essential goods moved across and throughout the state. “There’s no time to waste. We saw delays in the NSW Government rolling out mandatory masks last year, we can’t afford for the same mistakes to be made again. “Testing needs to be improved, as does supply, access and distribution of vaccines. Too many people who need to be immunised now are being put onto waiting lists. Rail, tram and bus workers, for example, should have been placed in a high-priority bracket from day one.”

as light rail breaks down at Randwick and lack of contingency buses - a sign of things to come with bus privatisation

A media release from The Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW Tram and Bus Division in June slammed the response to a light rail breakdown at Randwick and ensuing commuter chaos, questioning why additional buses were not deployed to help transport people towards the city and their destinations. The light rail broke down on the corner of Anzac and Robertson Road, blocking the bus lane and causing chaos at Anzac Parade during the peak on the Tuesday morning. Buses travelling existing bus routes along Anzac Parade were inundated, including some routes set to be axed. “Another transport management fail in Randwick and a shocking preview of what could happen more often with bus route cuts and privatisation,” said RTBU NSW Tram and Bus Division Secretary David Babineau. “In the past, if we had the light rail stalled and buses blocked, we’d expect a call out for additional workers and extra buses deployed to get people to work and onward destinations. “Instead, there was radio silence, with frustrated commuters deciding that it would be quicker to walk to the city than get on the already overloaded buses. “This is not good enough. You’d have to ask – is this what we can expect with the service cuts and privatisation of bus services in region 9? “Will the NSW Government step away from offering additional bus services and funding the fixes to keep commuters moving when bus routes are in private operator hands? “And why wasn’t the community told of this risk that they would be left on the side of the road when mishaps and accidents occur? “The NSW Government’s community consultation on the fate of region 9 buses in the eastern suburbs, including Randwick, has been extended. “I encourage everyone who was impacted by yesterday’s chaos and all who rely on buses in the local areas to send the government feedback and oppose changes to these services. The union and workers look forward to Minister Constance’s full and transparent response,” Mr Babineau said.