RW: What's happening at Terminal Station?
Station Assistant: The amenities block for cleaners near platform 15 is in an appalling condition. It was built 50 years ago. It's substandard and like a rat hole. In the toilets, urine overflows from the urinals. It consists of bare concrete with an asbestos roof, and is infested with rats and other vermin. It clearly illustrates the 2 standards which apply in the SRA. The bosses enjoy immaculate amenities while the workers have to put with disgusting conditions. We need to fight for better amenities urgently.
RW: What's the situation regarding favouritism?
SA: One PTU delegate on the job selection committee at Sydney Terminal Station, an ALP hack and bosses' stooge favours his cronies for cushy jobs.
RW: What's happening with the PTU?
SA: Some good news has been the resignation of a notorious bosses'stooge and ALP hack, as one of the organisers for the rail division of the PTU, George Walsh. He gave the reason of "ill health" for his resignation. In fact the reason was that he is facing paedophile charges. I have noticed that the magazines that the PTU puts out describe the current corporate/govt. push for privatisation, but provide no solution for the problem. Increasingly the membership of the PTU is declining, with many members switching to the ASU. I think this fact will get the PTU bosses worried. I have also noticed that the PTU bosses are now screaming about the Howard/Liberal Federal Govt. but are caving in completely and accepting the plans of the Carr Govt, such as the "business entities" restructuring from 1/7/96. They are spreading the lie to workers that "nothing will happen to them,"when in fact it will accelerate moves for privatisation and cost many of us, our jobs and conditions.
RW: What's happening with overtime?
SA: The bosses are moving to cut back OT. Staff unfortunately don't realise that we should not be fighting for more OT, but for the filling of positions and a living wage.
RW: What do you think of the deployment of private security guards in the SRA?
SA: They are most likely to be the scabs of the future. They have been observed recently collecting tickets. At Sydney Terminal Station recently, a woman was raped on a platform, although there were two security guards on the train adjacent to the platform during the incident.