Transport union targets privatisation
By Michael Unger
ADELAIDE — The Public Transport Union has begun campaigning against the privatisation of Trans Adelaide.
On November 2, all bus passengers were handed a leaflet warning that the privatisation would greatly increase fares — the state government has announced a fare increase in January to make the enterprise more attractive to tenderers — increase the average age of buses from 12 to 20 years and break up the public transport network with a variety of private monopolies.
Wages and conditions of Trans Adelaide employees will suffer and services will decrease, especially in the outer metropolitan areas. The union is calling on the public to help fight this "ideology gone mad", by writing to the minister responsible and by taking part in community actions to defend and extend public transport.