JOHN BERGER
TWU VIC/TAS BRANCH SECRETARY
TWU CONCERNED OVER SHOCKING CONDITIONS FACED BY CHARTER BUS DRIVERS
All attributed to JOHN BERGER
The TWU plead for the Tasmanian Government to ensure bus driver and community safety after reports of mass crowdings of buses filled with those recently arrived from Melbourne on the Spirit of Tasmania.
Last night on a Seven News Tasmania, Minister for Health Sarah Courtney MP, suggested that the public should not be concerned about the over crowed buses making their way to quarantine hotels.
Minister Courtney’s reasoning for this was:
‘It is important to remember that these people are being transported to a quarantine hotel, where they are about to spend two further weeks in quarantine.’
However, the Transport Workers Union Victoria and Tasmania Branch hold concerns for the front line workers – in this instance – Tasmanian bus drivers.
Tasmanian bus drivers are being left to undertake the role of health professionals and by doing this, the Government is knowingly leaving drivers in harm’s way. In no way is the job of a bus driver to act as a doctor or health professional.
Bus drivers are nervous and rightly so about contracting this virus from people who are on their way to hotel quarantine.
We are urging both the Tasmanian Government to ensure that Tasmanian bus drivers are safe at work. This means ensuring that authorities from Tasmanian Health are on the ground, ensuring the health and safety of drivers through enforcing social distancing and hygiene practices of passengers.
It is the right of all workers to feel safe at work – especially when they are on the front line of a deadly pandemic.
Media contact:
Nellie Metcalfe
0475 055 414