Union Can't have it's Cake and Eat It

Rail and Maritime Union workers who maintain tracks are taking industrial action against their employer, Government owned OnTrack. The industrial action is having a flow on effect to train operator Toll Rail who are reducing services to lesson the risk of damaging the tracks. Toll have also rostered at least some of it's casual staff (who collect tickets on peak commuter trains) off as there is now enough permanent staff to cover all services.

The action is being taken to achieve parity with Toll Rail workers who are apparently doing work requiring the same skill level. And if they worked for Toll Rail they might have a claim of pay parity as Toll would be discriminating if the skill levels were equal. (I have no idea if they are or not.)

All the rail maintenance crews all worked for Toll Rail until the Union sucessfully campaigned to "Take Back the Track" - where they called for ownership and maintenance by the Government. So, after sucessfully being separated from Toll Rail, the Unions are arguing that they should be paid the same as Toll Rail, who may decide to pay above the market rate to retain it's staff from other industries.

How long before we see the RMTU campaigning to "Let Toll Buy the Track"!