Free Rides Take A $50,000 Toll

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday October 10, 2008

Paul Bibby and Georgina Robinson

SYDNEY'S free ride on the Harbour Bridge is over after toll collectors voted yesterday to return to work after a day-long strike sparked by plans to replace them with cash-free booths.

In a move that had Treasury officials lamenting $50,000 in lost revenue, 51 toll collectors and associated workers walked off the job yesterday morning, leaving the bridge's three remaining booths unattended.

While motorists with electronic tags continued to pay the toll regardless of which lane they chose, the 17,000 motorists who reach for their wallets as they approach the bridge each day crossed free.

Intended as a one-hour stop-work meeting, the action intensified when the toll collectors learnt that the Roads and Traffic Authority had asked contractors and casual staff to take over while the meeting was held.

The RTA quickly backed down, denying is was trying to break the strike. A spokesman said management was unaware the meeting constituted industrial action and had withdrawn the request to the casuals as soon as it was told otherwise.

A Public Service Association officer, Evan Cole, said toll collectors were angry about the RTA's attempt to cover their absence and at management's failure to tell them what the closures meant for their futures.

"Some have been offered redundancies but we don't know when the redundancies will come into effect," Mr Cole said.

An RTA spokesman said none of the 51 permanent staff would be sacked, although three contract staff would have their contracts terminated. Some permanent staff had taken voluntary redundancy packages but the company would not be moving to forced redundancies at any time.

The RTA could not guarantee all affected employees would be offered new jobs on the same pay.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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