Metro Tasmania today announced that it will be appealing a Federal Circuit Court order to pay bus drivers backpay for unpaid penalty rates at its Burnie Depot.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) Tasmanian Secretary Ric Bean said Metro's continued refusal to pay Burnie bus drivers at the rates clearly specified by the company's Enterprise Agreement was an insult to workers.
"Metro would be better off paying its workers what they are legally owed rather than wasting money on vindictive and unnecessary legal action."
Ric Bean said that for a number of years prior to the current EBA, Metro's Burnie depot paid drivers at a rate of 150 per cent (time and a half) for working on Saturday when they had rostered days off, despite the relevant Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs) stating that Saturdays should be paid at 200 per cent (double time).
"In November Last year, the RTBU National Office commenced legal action arguing that an RTBU Delegate from Burnie Depot was owed $1,524.98 for working on 24 Saturdays between 4 October 2015 and 15 March 2020.
"Last month, the Federal Circuit Court agreed with the Union's case and ordered Metro Tasmania to pay the full amount claimed. The RTBU then asked Metro to do a full audit of Saturday payments to Burnie drivers to ascertain the full amount of backpay owed.
"An RTBU survey released last week found that 67 per cent of members at Metro Tasmania have no confidence in current management to run the company. You can see why.
"It's time for Metro to stop trying to weasel out of their legal responsibilities and pay up."
