Drivers oppose increase to GST

Bus drivers unanimously opposed any increase to GST at the stopwork meeting of the Wellington Tramways Union yesterday.

GST is a regressive form of taxation which hurts those on lower incomes hardest. Drivers believe an increase to this tax is likely to perpetuate an already widening gap betweeen rich and poor in New Zealand.

The Wellington Tramways Union is the union which represents the majority of bus drivers in the Wellington region. Yesterday's stopwork meeting was the AGM for this union.

Also at the AGM drivers supported motions opposing national testing in primary schools in solidarity with campaigns being run by the NZEI on the issue.

Drivers talked about the run down state of the Kilbirnie depot (the main Go Wellington bus depot), in particular the state of the drivers meal break area. Drivers also complained about the unreliable pay-in machines that constantly break down, both at Go Wellington and Valley Flyer.

The meeting voted to give $1,000 to the Red Cross to support the people of Chile & Haiti after the devestating Earthquakes and Tsunami's that have hit those countries in the last few weeks. The Tramways Union also made a donation to the Red Cross after the Tsunami in Samoa in 2009.

In 2010 the Wellington branch of the Tramways Union will be negotiating a regional agreement for drivers at Go Wellington, Valley Flyer and Mana Newlands. This will be the first time drivers in Wellington have entered bargining for a regional agreement. Collective bargining was discussed at the AGM. Tramways members believe that a regional agreement for bus operators in the Wellington region will help improve the pay and conditions for workers in this industry.

ENDS

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