Secretary’s wrap

The Victorian Government’s plan to build 65 new trains in Melbourne and create 1100 local jobs in the process sits in stark contrast with our Government’s plan to send jobs to South Korea.

While the Victorian Government has incorporated local assembly, a new maintenance depot and a quota for apprentices and workers from disadvantaged backgrounds, the NSW Government has simply sold to the highest bidder.

Attempts to remove guards are another cheap way to cut costs in the short term – without considering the long term impacts of deteriorating safety on our railways, driver workload and work related stress.

Big infrastructure projects can have long-term, positive flow on effects if planned right. Unfortunately jobs for regional NSW are not at the top of our Government’s priority list.

A big shout out to Trish Doyle MP, Member for the Blue Mountains, who has been standing up and making the concerns of rail workers heard in Parliament recently. Read on to find out more.

Stay safe on the tracks

Bob Hayden

Loco Division Secretary