Newcastle bus drivers are campaigning for a 7% pay rise over two years. Niko Leka reports.
Keolis Downer
Newcastle’s bus drivers have been repeatedly underpaid since the city’s public transport system was privatised on July 1.
About 70 workers have been underpaid between $200 and $600 since then.
The NSW government awarded Keolis Downer a 10-year contract to operate Newcastle’s public transport system of buses, ferries and the new light rail last year.
It was the first time in Australia that one company was awarded a contract to operate a city’s entire transport system.