Canberra commuters were forced to find alternative transport today, with bus drivers on strike over workplace violence. The transport workers union says the unprotected industrial action was necessary to secure driver protections. The ACT government insists they're in the works - but will take time.
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TVTranscript
00:00Canberra's peak hour commuters learning too late the buses weren't running.
00:07When did you find out there'd be no bus services?
00:09When I was sitting waiting for the bus, yeah.
00:12I just found out now.
00:14Bus drivers walking off the job this morning fed up with violent passengers
00:18with at least 40 incidents reported a month.
00:21We have drivers having Coke cans thrown at them, we have full Coke cans,
00:25we have drivers getting punched, we have drivers getting spat on.
00:28Yesterday we had a driver have a bag of fish heads tipped on them.
00:32Mr Pincus says the Wildcats' strike aims to prompt government action
00:36on measures like transit police, better safety screens and de-escalation training.
00:41All these things have been talked about and promised,
00:44they're just not happening and drivers have had enough.
00:47The government says it only learned of the strike at around five this morning
00:51and informed the community as best it could.
00:54We're using Access Canberra staff this morning,
00:57driving around and putting on signage at the stops.
01:00That approach leaving room for improvement.
01:03Does somebody want to go and tell those two people that we're going to go there?
01:06I'm sure someone can go there and talk to them.
01:10The Transport Minister says his meeting with union representatives in July
01:15led to an election commitment for a new on-board team
01:18to visibly deter anti-social behaviour.
01:21I've been in government for just a week.
01:24I've already been discussing with Transport Canberra about implementing.
01:29While a legislative review will consider what, if any,
01:32extra powers could help those new workers combat on-board violence.
01:36And bigger driver protection screens have been ordered.
01:40Earlier this afternoon, transport officials applied to the Fair Work Commission
01:44for an injunction.
01:45Services are expected to return to normal tomorrow.