Passengers have been told not to expect any public bus services to run in Canberra on Friday, after drivers walked off the job in an unprotected strike over workplace violence.
A snap strike decision was made early on Friday, November 15, ACT Transport Workers Union boss Klaus Pinkas told ABC radio.
Transport Minister Chris Steel said he had asked transport officials to pursue all options to restore services, including a Fair Work Commission order to put drivers back to work.
Commuters were caught unaware of the strike on Friday morning, prompting a surge in Uber fares as Canberrans scrambled to find alternative transport.
Transport Canberra officials were driving around suburbs telling passengers waiting at bus stops there would be no services. Meanwhile, schools were left having to communicate with families, some of whom had already set their children off unaware of the strike.
Students who use the tram from Gungahlin to the city, which was operating as normal, before connecting to their school bus services faced being stranded in the city.
Mr Pinkas said the drivers had reached their breaking point with about 40 violent attacks against drivers recorded every month, and called the unprotected action.
Mr Pinkas said one driver even had "a bag of fish heads poured on them" on Thursday.
"Basically the bus drivers have had enough," he said.
"We are screaming for help from Transport Canberra for assaults on our drivers. There has been no reaction from people in Transport Canberra."
Mr Steel said it was disappointing Canberrans who relied on buses, an essential service, were being left behind.
Mr Steel said it was unfortunate there had been no notice for the community, and he apologised for the lack of communication Transport Canberra had been able to provide its passengers.
"I've asked Transport Canberra to pursue all options available, including through the Fair Work Commission, to restore bus services and to ensure that they remain reliable," Mr Steel said in a statement on Friday morning.
"I have been informed that this action is in response to an occupational violence incident last night. Everyone deserves respect at work, and the government is committed to ensuring safety for all drivers and passengers."
Mr Pinkas said there would be no bus services in Canberra on Friday. Light rail services will be unaffected, as are special needs buses.
The action will affect school services.
Mr Pinkas said a number of strategies had been agreed upon to help protect drivers, including dedicated transit police, better screens and de-escalation plans for drivers, but "none of it was happening".
"We've had 500 meetings, I've sent hundreds of cranky emails, but we have had no response whatsoever," he said.
Mr Pinkas said drivers constantly faced physical assaults, recounting how drivers had been punched, spat on, and had full cans of Coke thrown at them.
"It can't continue how it has been continuing," he said.
Mr Steel said Labor was committed to introducing transport officers on bus routes to enhance safety for drivers and passengers.
"We developed that commitment after meeting with drivers to hear their concerns. We also committed to review legislative powers for transport officers to address anti-social behaviour," he said.
"Canberrans deserve a reliable and safe public transport system. Transport Canberra is working to restore services as soon as possible, and I've asked Transport Canberra to keep engaging with drivers about safety."
Mr Steel said he had raised the implementation of the transport officers policy with Transport Canberra but said it "was not going to happen overnight".
Transport Canberra spokesman Ian McGlinn told ABC radio there was no warning the strike was coming, but reassured listeners light rail and special needs bus services would be unaffected.
Mr McGlinn said the government was urgently seeking advice from the Fair Work Commission on the snap strike.
"It's going to cause the ACT community, our customers, a lot of inconvenience," he said.
Bus services operated by CDC, which include services to Yass, Queanbeyan and Googong, were unaffected by the strike.
