General News The Language of the Rail Shut Down The views expressed below are those of the Editor, and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the NSW Branch of the RTBU. On Monday 21st February, with the smugly toned down his rhetoric bargaining process. At the same newly minted Minister for Employee by explaining it as ‘ a day of high time they ran the tired old ‘red flag’ Relations, Damien Tudehope emotion’. of unions, under the control of the leading the charge, he and Transport Labor Party, bringing the economy I would, however, echo the highly Minister David Elliott used a to its knees, as a nervous plea for charged words of the Minister, range of inflammatory language to their waning electoral fortunes. and describe the shut down in describe the shut down of the rail similarly strong and passionate Unfortunately, those same rogue system. They said in various media terms. The slight change required executives and their political engagements that it amounted to is to substitute ‘union’ with masters underestimated the integrity ‘industrial bastardry’, that it was ‘government’ and ‘rail executives’ of the RTBU and rail workers, and ‘cowardly’ and ‘unAustralian’, and in this narrative. The Minister and the ability of the broader public to that the shut down was a ‘terroristPremier, and friends were frantic see through their thinly disguised like activity’. Mr Elliott described in raising the anti-union, antilies. Another factor that these the unions claim that it was not Labor flags as Federal and State clowns have under-estimated is that on strike, and that workers were elections approach, but pulled a their private sector industrial heroes available for work as ‘bullshit’ and stunt that back-fired badly and did are not directly accountable to the ‘spin’. The sentiments were echoed irreparable harm to rail workers and voting public in the same ways as by Premier Dominic Perrottet and commuters alike. If the shutdown they are. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and can be described as a ‘terrorist-like’ The only people who came out of his Federal cronies, as they piled on act, then we only have to look to this disgraceful mess with their their anti-union hysteria. rogue transport executives as the honour intact, were the NSW The following day, and in the ‘masterminds’, feebly attempting to Secretary of the RTBU, Alex days that have followed, with egg imitate their private sector heroes, Claassens and the RTBU leadership, and shame on their face, neither in pulling a dangerous stunt to union delegates, union activists and Minister Tudehope or Elliott, or attempt to deceive the Fair Work members who remained resolutely the Premier has apologised for this Commission into ordering a halt honest and strong in the face of this language or for getting the facts so to industrial action, and potentially vile barrage of attacks. horribly wrong, Mr Elliott simply cancelling the enterprise agreement
TRAM & BUS EXPRESS Get on the TRAM & BUS EXPRESS Tram and Bus Express is constantly updated with new information from around the depots – including workplace disputes, industry updates and news about RTBU Members. Members who subscribe to the web site get a fortnightly email with links to all the latest scoops. Printed newsletters will also be distributed around depots.
tramandbusexpress.com.au RAIL & ROAD March 2022
Page 13
