WA; Rail services disrupted as unionists stage stop-work meeting

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2004
WA; Rail services disrupted as unionists stage stop-work meeting

PERTH, Feb 13 AAP - A stop-work meeting by Perth rail workers today could leave commuters
and schoolchildren stranded during the afternoon peak, the Public Transport Authority
(PTA) warned.

Train services on all Perth lines were to grind to a halt from about 11am (WST) as
Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) members stage their second stop-work meeting in as many
weeks.

Union members would meet from midday to discuss the progress of Enterprise Bargaining
Agreement negotiations with the PTA.

The union declined to postpone the meeting to Sunday morning and has not given any
assurances its members will return to work at the conclusion of today's meeting.

"Transperth has arranged rail replacement buses from its own fleet but if the meeting
runs past 3pm or votes to stay off work, virtually all these buses will be required for
after-school and afternoon peak services," PTA said in a statement.

On the corresponding Friday last year, the PTA said Transperth buses carried 71,000
passengers between 3pm and 7pm, while trains carried a further 35,000. About 20 per cent
of those passengers were schoolchildren.

Transperth has urged all commuters and students to consider other transport options if available.

Buses will run along rail routes for the duration of the stoppage.

AAP hn/cmc/jlw

KEYWORD: RAIL WA

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