{"id":28778,"date":"2024-04-19T13:11:26","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T03:11:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=28778"},"modified":"2024-04-19T13:11:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T03:11:35","slug":"afl-showdown-train-commuters-face-major-disruptions-as-union-threatens-24-hour-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=28778","title":{"rendered":"AFL Showdown train commuters face major disruptions as union threatens 24-hour strike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Train drivers are threatening a 24-hour strike which would disrupt commuters attending next month’s AFL Showdown between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows, <\/strong>due to an ongoing pay dispute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) said it had notified private rail operator Keolis Downer Adelaide (KDA) of the 24-hour stoppage on May 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Union secretary Darren Phillips said the strike threat was aimed at forcing KDA to improve its pay offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are absolutely concerned for footy fans wanting to come into town,” Mr Phillips said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There is plenty of time between now and then to avoid that action and for us to sit down at the table and thrash this deal out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We don’t want to take this action, we want the deal done.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RTBU has been demanding a 20 per cent pay rise over four years, while KDA is offering a 14.7 per cent increase over the same period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Man
Darren Phillips says the union hopes to reach an agreement with Keolis Downer before May 2. (ABC News)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mr Phillips said the RTBU would confirm whether the action would go ahead after a meeting with KDA next Friday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Railway workers are frustrated after six months of negotiations, they’ve got cost of living pressures that we all feel,” he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We regret that we’re having this impact on commuters.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, KDA said it was disappointed by the union’s decision to propose industrial action on the date of the Showdown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We continue to negotiate terms of the Rail Operations Agreement in good faith with our staff, through the RTBU and hope to reach a mutually suitable resolution soon,” a spokesperson said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state government has been contacted for comment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The union’s latest threat follows a series of work stoppages in the past two weeks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Footy Express train services will be unavailable for those heading to Adelaide Oval on Friday night after the union on Thursday announced drivers would again stop work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Multiple
Train drivers have held a series of strikes due to an ongoing pay dispute. (ABC News: Che Chorley)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Peak-hour service closures were held on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the union signalling another possible rush-hour work stoppage on May 7 between 6am and 8am. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

KDA took over Adelaide’s rail network in 2021 after the former Liberal government privatised tram and train services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, the Labor government signed a deal with the operator to hand back train operations by 2025. <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Train drivers are threatening a 24-hour strike which would disrupt commuters attending next month’s AFL Showdown between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows, due to an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2697,471,163,47],"tags":[265,472,7],"class_list":["post-28778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adelaide-railway-station","category-news","category-rail-industry-news-australia-new-zealand","category-rail-news","tag-adelaide","tag-australian","tag-transport"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t