Newcastle workers call on Transport Minister to go

MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                                         13 October 2017

Hundreds of public transport workers in more than 60 workplaces across the state – including workers from Newcastle – have moved motions of no-confidence in NSW Transport Minister, Andrew Constance, saying it’s time for the Minister to step aside.

Workers today hand delivered a giant petition at Wickham Interchange, voicing their concerns about the Minister’s treatment of workers and commuters.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens said workers began sporadically organising meetings in their workplaces following a spate of incompetent decisions by the Minister, including the privatisation of Newcastle buses, the tearing up of the Newcastle rail line and the closure of the TrainLink customer centre.

The Minister also claimed at a recent business event that he was looking forward the day when we didn’t require bus or train drivers so he wouldn’t have to deal with the workers.

“The state’s public transport workers are disgusted in the Minister’s continued attacks on workers and our public transport system,” Mr Claassens said.

“It’s time for Minister Constance to go. We deserve a Minister who will put the needs of commuters first.

“The Minister has proven time and again he isn’t interested in progressing the needs of commuters at all. He’s far more interested in selling off our essential services and attacking the unions.

“The state’s public transport workers pride themselves on providing the best possible service they can, but now the Minister is actively standing in the way of that.

“It seems that every week we are met with news of another bungle of Andrew Constance’s making.

“The people of NSW deserve a Minister who wants to improve our public transport network. At the moment, that’s certainly not the case.”

SEE ALSO: an article covering this in the Newcastle Herald.