Fw: Mon.26.4.21 daily digest
  Roderick Smith

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Roderick


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Mon.26.4.21 Metro Twitter
5.49 Buses will be replacing trains Frankston - Stony Point (a train fault at Stony Point), adding 25 minutes to travel time.
- 13.00 Trains have resumed, with minor delays.
Buses replace trains Richmond - Glen Waverley from 20.10 until the last train (maintenance works).
Lilydale/Belgrave/Alamein lines: Buses replace trains Parliament - Camberwell from 20.30 until the last train (maintenance works).
Buses replace trains Epping - Mernda from 20.50 until the last train (works).


COVID-19COVID-19 IN AUSTRALIA New cases Reported Apr 26 (Updated 4.49pm) 0 locally acquired. 24 in hotel quarantine

Metro to cut jobs despite COVID aid. Tess Ikonomou and  Kieran Rooney April 26, 2021
Metro will axe workers despite receiving tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money to stay afloat during the pandemic.
Metro will be scrapping 10 passenger service lead roles. Picture: Tony Gough
A Melbourne train operator is considering redundancies despite receiving tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
Metro will be scrapping 10 passenger service lead roles, with less than 30 positions expected to be affected in some way.
Changes to the placement and number of station master roles at 28 of Metro’s 222 stations are under consideration.
The state government provided Metro Trains with at least $25m as part of a COVID support package in mid-2020, plus bonuses and additional funding for pandemic cleaning.
It will have to repay part of that sum back through future profits over the remaining years of its contract terms.
The move has sparked outrage with the public transport union, which argued customer-facing staff were needed as the network expanded and the Metro Tunnel moves closer to completion.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union Victorian Secretary Luba Grigorovitch said there were “no grounds” under the enterprise agreement to support Metro’s “aggressive approach”.
Secretary of the RTBU, Luba Grigorovitch was furious at the move.
“Metro have lied through their teeth claiming frontline workers won’t be affected,” she said.
“These redundancies will affect the frontline. Full stop.
“RTBU has raised the dispute with the company and is currently exploring all legal and industrial options at our disposal, we plan to fight this all the way.”
Metro Trains chief Raymond O’Flaherty said station employees in passenger service roles were not affected.
“We’re working closely with employees and the union through this process, and impacted employees will be considered for redeployment to alternative roles within Metro,” he said.
A government spokesman said it urged the parties to continue talks in “good faith” and to reach a resolution that “supported” staff.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/metro-trains-to-cut-jobs-despite-covid-aid/news-story/02df2b929fd4f33f90400128e9167ed4>
* Mass transport systems should be Govt operated along with public utilities. All that outsourcing has done is made them either not profitable or non sustainable because of the high management overheads and the needs to make profits.
* The public transport system is but another scam in a long list of troughs that this states public servants and bureaucrats endlessly have their snouts in.
* MTM drivers earning $200k to work five hour shifts, while station staff get $100k to top up Mykis with all this paid for by the taxpayer. Cost is unsustainable and going to blow because JA’s rail projects are not doing what the rest of the first world is and buying latest proven technology that reduces staffing levels and costs. No wonder our railway is slowing down to third world performance levels. What a joke.
* Companies such as Metro and Yarra Trams are way too top heavy - managers managing managers who are managing managers.. By cutting down on some of these positions, where many of these incumbents have no real understanding on how to operate these systems and have the tendency to screw it up for operational staff anyway, it will save millions of dollars a year. But in my honest opinion, public transport should be back under government control - it should not be treated as a profit generating mechanism.
* No. If you think government control is better you only need to look at VLine. It’s a complete shambles and provides an even worse service than Metro. You think Metro and Yarra are too heavy? Have a look at V/Line’s structure sometime.
* VLine could do with buying new trains and putting on more services instead paying useless desk jockeys (aka managers).
* Metro:
60% owned by MTR a Hong Kong Company,
20% owned by John Holland which is owned by China CCP,
20% owned by UGL Rail.
* You forgot that the ALP is completely owned by the unions.  Do you remember what the service was like before privatisation?
* Apart from deal with lost property,  does anyone know what the station master / ticket office person actually does?
* They are starting at the wrong end,what about the high wages of the CEO and other senior Metro bosses. Cut their wages as this is the blowout for high wages. Leave the staff alone as they will be needed for major project support .


Public transport mask mandate set to stay long-term. MITCH CLARKE April 26, 2021. 308 comments
Victorians will be wearing masks on public transport well into the future, with the COVID rule set to stay — but compliance is slipping.
The mask mandate on public transport is here to stay. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling
Masks could be a staple on public transport well into the future, with the current directive expected to remain in place for “quite a long period of time”.
Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll on Monday said the state government’s mask mandate would likely hang around for the foreseeable future, despite new figures showing commuter compliance had dropped.
“I actually think that directive will be in place for a quite a long period of time,” he said.
Mr Carroll added he hoped Victoria would eventually follow in the footsteps of major cities like Hong Kong, where locals instinctively wore masks on public transport.
“I want this to happen … whether it’s coronavirus or the flu, (when it comes to) airborne viruses, masks are your best protection,” he said.
Masks are compulsory on public transport. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling
It comes after data released from the state government revealed a quarter of commuters were not covering their face during peak-hour commutes.
Department of Transport figures show mask compliance on trains was at 86 per cent in the morning peak and 89 per cent for the rush hour home from November to December.
But from January to March that feel to 74 per cent in the morning and 68 per cent in the evening.
Tram passengers recorded similar statistics, with mask use at 78 per cent and 65 per cent during the two peaks.
The figures also found that commuters were more likely to wear masks on Monday, with more than a quarter of passengers ditching the coverings by the end of the week.
Mr Carroll said he was concerned by people not wearing masks but didn’t believe it was a matter of passengers intentionally flouting the rules.
While authorised officers have the relevant powers to actively police the mandate, Mr Carroll said: “We don’t want to go down that heavy handed approach”.
“I think we have to keep looking at how we get the messaging across. I think people like myself need to set an example where we can,” he added.
“I am working with the acting police minister, the union, and the operators, to see what we can do to really make sure that message does come through.”
video: CDC: Double masks more effective USA Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging the use of wearing two masks to reduce transmission of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, health officials have contacted all the fellow passengers of a COVID-infected traveller who flew from Perth to Melbourne, including all ground crew.
Of the 241 passengers on-board QF778, 156 have returned a negative result, but more than 80 test results are yet to be returned.
Mr Carroll said outstanding test results from the remaining 85 passengers were expected to come through on Monday and Tuesday.
“We’ll have updates during the week,” he said.
But the minister was unable to confirm whether every passenger had actually been tested.
“I don’t have a direct answer for that,” he said.
Victoria recorded no new cases of coronavirus overnight as 12,680 tests returned a negative result.
Should masks continue to be compulsory on Victorian public transport? Yes 39%; No 61% 2166 Voters
More Coverage
MCG hosts biggest crowd since start of pandemic
Metro Trains to cut jobs despite COVID aid
<www.heraldsun.com.au/coronavirus/public-transport-mask-mandate-set-to-stay-longterm/news-story/c5f0cd1781f3bec6d2ff7caf44619aaf>


Mon.26.4.21 Melbourne 'Herald Sun' Commuters flouting mask rules
VICTORIANS are increasingly flouting rules requiring they wear masks on public transport, with new data showing a quarter of commuters in peak hour are not covering their face as required.
The Andrews government is urging people not to grow complacent after recent passenger surveys found evidence more people were breaking the rules.
Under public health requirements, masks must be worn on trains, trams, buses and in taxis or other rideshare vehicles.
Department of Transport data shows from November to December mask compliance on trains was at 86 per cent in the morning peak and 89 per cent for the rush hour home.
But from January to March this fell to 74 per cent in the morning and 68 per cent in the evening.
Tram passengers recorded similar results, with mask use at 78 per cent and 65 per cent during the two peaks.
The surveys also showed that commuters were more likely to wear masks on Monday but by the end of the week a quarter of passengers were no longer following advice.


Mon.26.4.21 Melbourne 'Herald Sun' Letters:
Chopping all stations. It was pleasing to read John Masanauskas’ article (“Please level with us”, HS, 19/4) highlighting the construction disruption for the Mont Albert and Surrey Hills community amid the latest level crossing project. The article failed to highlight the large-scale removal of mature trees and vegetation from surrounding streets. The loss of open space and mature trees from Lorne Parade Reserve, should the proposed single station go ahead, equals a loss of community amenity and heritage. All this from suburbs that have one of the lowest ratios of open space per person in greater Melbourne.


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