Train Drivers, Enterprise Bargaining

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (14:40): My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer update the council on the enterprise bargaining offer that was made to train drivers today?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:40): I'm pleased to be able to advise the chamber that I believe that at around about 10 o'clock this morning the government, through the government negotiators, provided details of, on behalf of the taxpayers of South Australia, a very reasonable and generous enterprise bargaining offer to train drivers in an endeavour to resolve an ongoing difference of opinion, if I can understate the current position, between the union bosses representing the union and the government negotiators negotiating on behalf of the taxpayers, the hardworking long-suffering taxpayers of South Australia.

The train drivers this morning have been offered a new enterprise agreement which includes pay rises of 2 per cent per annum for three years—in broad terms the same offer that has already been accepted by their fellow colleagues the tram drivers in May this year. As I said, on behalf of taxpayers, particularly during the ongoing impacts in financial terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pay increase that is being offered to train drivers is in the government's view, and I think in the taxpayers' view, fair and reasonable.

Other governments, both Labor and Liberal around Australia, have actually frozen wage increases for public servants within their jurisdictions. This government has resisted that particular temptation on the basis that we believe hardworking public servants deserve reasonable wage increases that taxpayers might be able to afford. As has been publicly revealed, the union bosses' position has been until recent times a 4 per cent per annum wage increase for four years, which the government on behalf of taxpayers said is completely unreasonable and unacceptable and something which the government on behalf of taxpayers just could not afford or could not accept.

I am pleased to note that we have been advised by Mr Gary Collis, who represents the Australian Employment Alliance, that he contends that he now represents a breakaway group of up to 100 train drivers out of a total number of just over 300 who have not accepted the position of the union bosses of the RTBU and are prepared to negotiate and accept a wage increase in and around the 2 per cent that the tram drivers have previously accepted. This particular group of, as Mr Collis indicates, up to 100 train drivers is prepared to accept that as well.

As part of a range of other conditions which have been included in the detailed offer which has been made to train drivers, there are a range of employment arrangements, work health and safety initiatives to prevent driver fatigue, special leave with pay provisions and maintaining existing employment conditions which are part of what we believe to be a generous package which has been offered.

In addition to that, consistent with the practice of the former Labor government when they offered a guarantee in 2017 to facilities management staff such as cleaners in SA Health to resign and accept employment with Spotless—of course, members would be aware that Spotless is now part of the Keolis Downer group. The former government offered an incentive payment to transfer to Spotless, which is now part of Keolis Downer. They offered $35,000 to transfer from their cleaning jobs in SA Health to being employed by Spotless.

Whilst the RTBU sought a payment of $60,000 in terms of an incentive payment, the government offer is much less than the former Labor government's offer to cleaners—which was $35,000—at $15,000, which has been consistent with some other transfer payments in relation to outsourcing agreements that have been entered into by the former Labor government and former Liberal governments as well. The offer also includes a three-year employment guarantee and a range of other benefits.

It is the government's wish to try to prevent industrial disruption. It is the government's belief that this is a fair and reasonable offer to train drivers, which a not insignificant number of their members would appear to be willing to accept, albeit there would appear still to be not a majority of members in that particular breakaway group, the Australian Employment Alliance. It is the government's intention to try to proceed to a ballot of train drivers through the month of October, and we would hope to have the result of that ballot by the end of October or the first week of November.

We would hope that the union bosses of the RTBU would move completely away from their demands for 4 per cent over four years in pay increases and a $60,000 transfer payment to move to the outsourced provider, and be prepared to see that this is a generous offer that taxpayers have made. It is similar to the offer that the tram drivers have accepted and therefore one that, in the interests of the taxpayers of South Australia, should be accepted by the train drivers.