Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Newcastle: Rail Workers Not Consulted Over Rail Closure Effects

The proposed truncation of the Newcastle rail line is less than five months away, but hundreds of state transit employees have no idea how the change is going to impact on them. In the public debate that surrounds cutting the line, the future of approximately 300 staff who work on it has received little attention.

Steve Turner from the Rail, Train and Bus Union (RTBU) said staff had received "no consultation" from the state government, despite their lives being extensively disrupted by the decision.

"The union and its members working along the Newcastle Rail Line from Hamilton to Newcastle have repeatedly asked for some consultation on how the closure will affect them and what their future will look like once the line has been closed, but have not been told anything but these decisions have not been made yet," he said.

He said staff along the line, including drivers, guards and station staff, were hearing rumours about their future, but were not being given any solid information.

"We’re finding things out in the newspaper," Mr Turner said.

Mr Turner joined community members who believe the truncation should be delayed as a result of the findings coming out of the ICAC hearings which are currently taking place in Sydney and that suggest collusion between developers and local members of parliament.


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