On Friday August 30 Melbourne’s trams stopped for four hours between 10am and 2pm, while Yarra Trams drivers and customer service staff went on strike over pay and conditions.
At the tram stops
Signage was erected at tram stops to inform passengers.
With messages also being added to the TramTracker screens.
As well as being inserted between the usual advertisements on the JCDecaux digital screens.
And on the streets
Come 10am passengers were on their own.
No trams on Collins Street.
Elizabeth Street.
Flinders Street.
And Swanston Street.
Even St Kilda Road.
But the tram tracks weren’t empty – Yarra Trams staff we driving over Princes Bridge checking the overhead wires.
And TV news crews were busy filming for the evening news.
Replacement buses
A limited tram tram replacement service was operating.
I found inaccessible high floor road coaches queued up at the Arts Centre.
And passengers waiting for a route 12 replacement bus at Spencer and Collins Street.
Who were being picked up by low floor buses.
And at the depots
During the strike, trams were locked up in the depots.
The tracks at Southbank Depot full of parked trams.
But the end of the strike was anticlimactic – it took until 2.07 pm for the gates to be reopened.
Trams slowly being powered up.
And trickling out one by one every few minutes.
Instead of a massive parade.
Footnote
Thursday September 10, 2015 was the last tram strike in Melbourne – it was equally anticlimactic.
And the point of a strike, which replaces trams with buses, is? Tram drivers literally have an easier job then a bus. You’ve never seen a tram try to do a right turn at a tight roundabout. Yet, I think bus drivers are probably a lot less union protected and paid then tram drivers, since this area of employment seems to be super important to the image of Melbourne.
CDC and Transdev threatened to go on strike a year ago, but the government stumped up the cash to fund the pay rise they were asking for.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/vic/2018/08/15/bus-strike-melbourne-victoria-cdc-transdev/
Victorian bus drivers are part of the Transport Workers Union. Train and tram drivers are part of the the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.
Thanks for keeping a record of transport events,very informative and important for history.
Regards
Meyer
Thanks!