Received from a friend in America!
(Behind a paywall in Oz.)
The Daily Telegraph newspaper on its website reports that no all of the light rai construction workers at SYDNEY, Australia's largest city, are productive on the project to develop a low-floor LRT line through the central business district to outlying suburbs. Construction workers are being paid USD $28 per hour to work on the USD $960.5 million urban rail project through George Street, Sydney's "high street," meaning major commercial artery:Image result for Sydney high street light rail https://www.buildsydney.com/sydney-cbd-eastern-suburbs-light-rail-project/<*https://tinyurl.com/yaax3trw>*
*SYDNEY INFRASTRUCTURE: NSW TAXPAYERS FOOT THE BILL FOR HIGH-VIS WORKERS WHO LOUNGE, SMOKE AND PLAY WITH PHONES ON THE JOB*
*KEELY MCDONOUGH*
*THE DAILY TELEGRAPH*
*SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 7:00AM*
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WORKERS on billion-dollar state infrastructure projects which have brought the centre of Sydney to a grinding halt are getting about $35 an hour (USD $28) to smoke, text, lounge on curbs and even bounce tennis balls.
A special investigation by The Daily Telegraph has also caught high-vis clad employees flouting safety protocols by smoking at work as well as spending large portions of their shifts on their phones.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/mosman-daily/gardens-in-mosman-and-cremorne-spared-the-chop-after-transport-minister-andrew-constance-listens-to-bline-feedback/news-story/6f00000c23c9caa9dd3d719c90be646ccondemned the “mucking up” in plain sight of the frustrated Sydneysiders who have to put up with the inconvenience of the work. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-sydney/the-book-kitchen-forced-to-close-due-to-light-rail-impact-with-owners-owing-10000-in-rent/news-story/814fa42db2bc97a69a87c3b8bbd5d88b
He said the workers needed to get on with the job.
“I expect better,” Mr Constance said yesterday.
“We have businesses along the light rail route under enormous pressure, who expect the contractor to work hard to get out of construction zones on time.
“I have zero tolerance for mucking up.”
Mr Constance said the city had an ambitious infrastructure program http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/costs-of-rail-and-road-is-just-loco-as-it-emerges-sydney-metro-west-will-cost-20-billion/news-story/3b669ee23fabb23251fdb7b0542f3baband contractors had to work to deliver the projects on time and on budget.
On Sydney Water’s $1.2 million (USD $960.5 million) project to replace a 200m section of water main between Crown and Bourke Streets, controllers were seen sitting on parked cars and smoking cigarettes when they were meant to be controlling traffic.
And yesterday at a construction site on Devonshire St in Surry Hills one worker was even passing the time bouncing a tennis ball in a solo game of handball.
Another worker at a different construction site lit up three cigarettes in the space of 40 minutes as she leaned on a parked car.
Most of the employees were traffic controllers employed by Roads and Maritime Services — who can earn up to $35 an hour for casual work.
“We are contracted to the light rail to manage traffic,” one worker standing around at Surry Hills roadworks for the $2.1 billion light rail project said yesterday.
Acciona Australia, which has the contract to build the light rail, did not comment yesterday.
Sydney Water pledged a review after being presented with the evidence of the lazy practices of workers on one of their sites.
“They should only be smoking on their breaks and this is something we will be following up with the contractor as a priority,” a Sydney Water spokeswomen said.
“Performance of contractors is regularly monitored and a review of this work site will be undertaken to ensure work is being undertaken efficiently and public safety is being maintained at all times.”
She said the work was being carried out by contractor Diona Pty Ltd to replace a section of water main in Albion Street, Surry Hills.
“Traffic control is provided by a subcontractor who is engaged by Diona to assist with managing traffic flow around the work site and manage pedestrian traffic to ensure public safety,” she said.
“Sydney Water expects all of its contractors to abide by its stringent safety requirements and operational procedures.”
Diona’s chief executive manager David O’Connor said it was “fully supportive” of Sydney Water’s comments.
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Edward B. Havens
Tucson, Ariz.