Continuing attacks on New Zealand public transport workers’ jobs and wages
By
our reporters
22 December 2018
Auckland Council and private contractor Transdev are continuing negotiations with the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU), which began six months ago, over a proposal to make around 200 on-board train workers redundant. Transdev wants to introduce driver-only operated trains in New Zealand’s largest city from mid-2018.
In Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, Transdev, its subcontractor Hyundai Rotem and the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) are re-negotiating a collective agreement with the RMTU aimed at further eroding wages and working conditions.
These attacks are occurring under the new Labour Party-led national government and are directed by Labour-aligned councils. This exposes the utter fraud of the RMTU’s promotion of Labour as a progressive alternative to the former National Party government.
In the December issue of Transport Worker, RMTU general secretary Wayne Butson glorified the new government, declaring that New Zealand is “on the crest of a major political shift” and “it will be a prosperous 2018.”
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, a former Labour Party leader, told Radio NZ on December 8: “I don’t think it’s helpful for politicians to get involved [in the rail dispute].” Far from being a neutral bystander, Auckland Transport (AT) is working closely with Transdev to sack permanent on-board train crews and replace them with transport officers employed by AT.
Transdev, a multinational company based in France, was contracted by Auckland Council in 2004 and GWRC in December 2015 to deliver millions of dollars in cost savings.
This is part of a broader attack on public services in both cities. Auckland Council has already