[CANCELLED] FREE Public Transport in Melbourne Wednesday 19th & Friday 21st August

tightarse on 12/08/2015 - 18:41
Last edited 18/08/2015 - 11:04 by 1 other user

Moved to Forum: Original Link

Update from court(18/8):

#1:

Metro has taken #RTBU to Federal Court to stop free travel days. Union has agreed not to proceed with free travel. Strike not mentioned.

&

#2

Metro still wants #RTBU to advertise so passengers know they can't ride for free tomorrow. Union thinks media could inform them.

&

#3

Court has adjourned so #Metro & #RTBU lawyers can reach a compromise on how they'll advertise fact free travel days won't proceed

So looks like we'll see some news articles and ads within today, tomorrow advertising this.

Due to the fact that this deal is no longer going ahead (e.g. price error), this post has been moved to the travel forum per our usual proceedings.

Just heard about this on Channel 9 News tonight. Free tram & train travel for 2 days. Enjoy :)

From SavageCarrot, Metro Employee:

You can use public transport for free on Wednesday and Friday next week without repercussion. Authorised Officers (AOs) are the only people who can issue infringement notices for not having a valid, touched-on Myki. Metro management have called on volunteers to man the Myki barriers at stations. They have no legal right to issue you with an infringement notice, nor do they have any rights to ask to see your Myki (they are NOT authorised by the State Government to do so). Their presence will just be a deterrent. Take no notice of them.

Technically, authorized officers work for a transport company so there is always a possibility that AOs from another transport company that isn't on strike.

Do at your own risk.

Channel 9 video clip
ABC
3AW
The Age Trains free only, not trams.

RBTU Union Statement
PTV - No comment on "Free Travel"
Metro - No Statement (on their website)

Mod: Note: This is a developing news story and will be updated accordingly. If there is no free travel or the union cancels their industrial action then this deal will no longer be a deal and will be moved to the forums for discussion.

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Comments

      • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 20:37
        +3

        Metro get paid a fee for every fare evasion they report to the Department of Transport
        Metro get a subsidy from the State Government to run all services regardless of patronage/fares collected.
        Fare evasion is taking money from Myki (State Government) pockets not Metro.
        Metro only miss out from not getting fees for reporting fare evaders to DoT.
        But mainly it is designed to piss off the state government, who will then push Metro the hardest because they are losing the most, and Metro don't want their contract cancelled or not renewed.

        It's fare evasion by not having a valid ticket, the barriers don't mean anything. Plenty of stations without barriers but still doesn't mean that it's not fare evasion if you travel between two stations without barriers and don't get caught. It still is, you just got away with it though.

        • String name on 12/08/2015 - 20:39

          Assuming this is all true, fair points made.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 11:14
          +1

          @fanuch:
          It is all true.

          All the policies, about how the operators are remunerated, etc. are mostly public

  • skinny on 12/08/2015 - 20:12
    +2

    where do I put the FREEASS code for this deal?

    • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 20:13
      +5

      FREEARSE

      • diddy50 on 12/08/2015 - 21:00
        +3

        *FAREEVASIONARSE

        • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 21:52
          +4

          CrimeBargain

    • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 00:10
      +2

      MAGISTRATES COURT might be a better codeword.

      After all, I guarantee some opportunistic fellow would take their case there when they get caught out by this non-deal.

      • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 00:39

        PTV have always dropped their cases, they don't want the laws to actually be put to the test. They will make more than enough money from people who don't want to have to go to court so they just pay up.

        • Utopian on 13/08/2015 - 11:40

          I've been to court, and seen one play-out. It wasn't dropped. Even stranger… After hearing the accused plead her case (which was a law-break, but understandable), the prosecutor & judge role-played out loud (eluded, as opposed to pushed/blackmailed) what would happen if…. In the end, she took followed their theory: She pleaded guilty, no charge recorded, no penalty. Judge was a champion on that day. Clearing a major backlog, speeding through with soft & fast judgements (albeit waste of taxpayers money, many would say), and overly reasonable. Others I've seen are ABSOLUTE PRICKS.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 16:46

          @Utopian: sorry I got muddled, none have ever been seen through to conviction or found guilty after pleading innocent and not changing their plea… Last I heard. Maybe when judge talk began the lines about not changing their plea what you saw tends to happen. Looks like it a win for that lady to take it to court that day

  • 2big4u on 12/08/2015 - 20:18
    +1

    i have a bad feeling people will get caught and the outcry afterwards ;)

  • Gav on 12/08/2015 - 20:21
    +12

    Not a deal. Very poor form to use a possible strike as a "deal".

    • mensa209 on 12/08/2015 - 20:56
      +1

      Agreed Gav. Classless to say the least.

      • tightarse on 12/08/2015 - 22:10
        -3

        Classless? Im not the one in the penalty box for sockpuppeting.

        • brongz on 13/08/2015 - 06:06
          +1

          why suddenly this become personal and stalking?

        • Utopian on 13/08/2015 - 12:10

          @brongz: Does it really need explaining? If someone stabbed you from the shadows, you'd want them revealed.

  • arcticmonkey on 12/08/2015 - 20:24

    Too much potential for this to backfire and cost people dearly.

    $8 of fare evasion could turn into a $212 fine.

    • gottacatchemall on 12/08/2015 - 20:26

      Not if you pay on the spot :)

      • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 20:41
        +2

        Do the maths of the chances of getting caught vs. On the spot vs. Making a run for it at first sign of ticket inspectors vs. Chances of being beaten up by ticket inspectors and post that as a deal

    • Gavman on 12/08/2015 - 22:24

      $75 on spot fine.

      • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 00:10
        +3

        A bargain, right?

        /s

    • timmypete on 13/08/2015 - 12:14
      +1

      ^ This. I'm all for deals where the legality of the scenario is more clear cut. In the absence of publicised commentary from the operators, this is too dark a shade of grey for it to be a real deal. Pity, as TA's other submissions here are usually fantastic.

  • gstfree on 12/08/2015 - 20:28
    +3

    Unless free travel is authorized by PTV, it's fare evasion by not touching on myki. There are risks involved as non union staffs and PSO can issue tickets.

  • bxpressiv on 12/08/2015 - 20:31
    +1

    FREE Vandalism on Public Transport in Melbourne Wednesday 19th & Friday 21st August

    Just doing a straw poll, this offence is not being enforced, so I can post this right?

  • ezza on 12/08/2015 - 20:31

    I think the only good day is Wednesday… most people will be making alternate arrangements not to get stuck in the brunt of it all (even those 9-5 people), i.e. myself!

  • brownhux on 12/08/2015 - 20:33
    +5

    This is fair evasion and shouldn't be promoted as free or a deal.

    • tightarse on 12/08/2015 - 20:36
      -7

      Please explain how this is fair evasion?

      http://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/27551/32701/capture.jpg

      Source

      • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 20:49
        +4

        Un Australian?

      • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 20:51
        +3

        Hardly a reliable source, they could have got the difference between PTV and Metro mixed up

    • McFly on 12/08/2015 - 21:49

      Like many others, I think this is unfair… fare evasion.

    • sourdawg on 12/08/2015 - 23:01
      +7

      Fair evasion is when you avoid going to the circus

      • String name on 13/08/2015 - 00:01

        This comment deserves more likes

        • Utopian on 13/08/2015 - 23:52
          +1

          Just click the green plus icon ;)

  • Vash1984 on 12/08/2015 - 20:43
    +1

    I love this post. Can't wait to see the commments on next Wednesday.

  • mensa209 on 12/08/2015 - 20:55
    +2

    Disgracefully opportunistic post that exploits a union battle which has many days to be resolved.

      • rvsure on 13/08/2015 - 00:41
        +7

        Since when TA started personal attacks?

        • Utopian on 13/08/2015 - 23:54

          If that's true, mensa would be here, and tightarse's comment wouldn't ;)

  • diddy50 on 12/08/2015 - 20:56
    +3

    This is sort of theft… Imagine me being told by a bunnings employee that I don't have to pay for the $19 Stanley screwdriver set. Clearly they have no right to do that. So why should Metro employees encourage non payment of a service.

    Hope the morons don't get paid for not working when they don't check tickets. And I hope they don't get their demands.

    Plus I hope their strike backfires and Melbourne hates them for the 6 hours of delays they will cause. Not 4, but 6! Bloody industrial action, greedy greedy greedy.

    • arcticmonkey on 12/08/2015 - 21:16

      Course the executive management of a foreign organisation aren't greedy though, are they?

      Far easier to pick on the local guy at the bottom.

      • diddy50 on 12/08/2015 - 21:46
        -8

        Wait, so I have to pay my employees above their award or agreed wage for…doing their job?

        So now they want more because I happened to make more because I managed the company better and made a bigger profit.

        Last time I checked-I was the boss, if the employees want more money they too can start a transportation company and employ people and spend millions running a rail system.

        Until then they are employees and are paid to do a job. They are welcome to leave the job and find a better paying job elsewhere.

        • diddy50 on 13/08/2015 - 08:14
          +1

          So rather than reply with good reasons as to why an employee should get more pay for just doing their job as normal, you instead downvote me.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 21:41
      +1

      Well ostensibly a Bunnings Employee would have the authority to tell you that an item is free or not, the only ones calling it "free" are the media, nobody of authority has said that it is "free" only that tickets won't be checked by Metro staff. It would be like a random guy outside Bunnings telling you that everything is "free" because they don't have anyone checking bags at that time.

    • brongz on 13/08/2015 - 06:08

      how much they (metro staff) get paid btw?

  • Sage on 12/08/2015 - 21:05

    Does this count for buses too?
    If not then it's worthless for me.

  • gccmelb on 12/08/2015 - 21:09
    +3

    Not a deal as advocating breaking the law.

  • Sage on 12/08/2015 - 21:10
    +1

    Personally I think I'd rather pay for transport and not join in on their BS little protest.
    These guys DO NOT deserve a 18% pay increase for handing out fines for people who accidentally left their ticket at home, and I am not going to be used like a tool to protest for them.

  • Moderatorneil on 12/08/2015 - 21:14

    Thank you for the reports. Please note that we will be monitoring the situation very carefully.

    Previous related deals.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 23:47
      +4

      Nothing to monitor. Its not a deal!

      PTV have their own inspectors which are not part of the union and are not striking.
      We also have Protective Services Officers at every station that enforce fare evasion, and they aren't striking either, and they have guns!

      • Moderatorneil on 12/08/2015 - 23:48

        Do you have any links to support that statement?

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 01:08
          +7

          If the govt. or the operator haven't announced free travel on those days, it should not be promoted as such.

          The fact that this is on your site, being promoted as a deal, the onus is on you to make sure it is a deal. If not, pull this so called deal.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 02:36
          +6

          OK, let's make this easy as pie.

          http://ptv.vic.gov.au/news-and-events/news/potential-industr…

          This link, taken directly from the PTV website, is the horse's mouth so to speak.

          If PTV themselves have not declared any free days of transport, I would've thought that this deal would automatically be invalid.

          The fact that this "deal" is presently untrue and baseless is the very reason I'd think it's not a deal.

          To suggest that all employees of the public transport network are union members, would be a highly generalised and incorrect statement to make. I'm not going to even attempt to provide links to back this up, because 1) this deal itself does not have the credible sources it should have (PTV, Metro), and 2) common sense would also suggest that 100% of a given workforce would not be signed up to the same union at the same time.

          Of course, if we are now relying on sensational newspaper articles and other tertiary sources of information to substantiate deals here, then we're most definitely heading down the right track.

          I'm quite surprised actually that an as-yet unsubstantiated deal has not been uncategorised - it's still on the front page!

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 08:18
          +3

          Protective Services Officers are employed by Victoria Police, thus are clearly not part of this industrial action.

          You should just learn how to use Google.

        • Moderatorneil on 13/08/2015 - 10:23

          I can see people are quite emotional about this politically charged issue and that's understandable. However, we need to follow the facts and evidence.

          Once something gets moved to the forums, we can not move it back.

          I will contact PTV & Metro today to find out more about this "free travel".

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 11:15

          @Drew22:

          Correct. Protective Services Officers are Victoria Police employees, and they would be working as usual throughout this period of industrial action. After all, PSOs are not part of the RTBU.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 11:17
          +2

          @neil:

          Nothing emotional, its just not a deal.

          You've already been told by countless people as to why it is not free.

    • dealman on 13/08/2015 - 22:20
      -1

      @Neil, Just because you've allowed illegal deals before doesn't make this right.

      Set a new precedent and set it straight.

      IN PLAIN words this is ILLEGAL, and that's the reason this shouldn't be a deal.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 21:40
    +6

    Free travel is when it's declared free as in Christmas, New Years eve. This isn't a deal. More Exploitation n around loop holes.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 22:02
      +1

      Nothing wrong with a loop hole that doesn't actually break the rules or the laws, but this on the other hand does break the law unless the government officially declare it to be free.

      • DeafMutePretender on 12/08/2015 - 23:49
        +1

        Only multinational corporations are allowed to take advantage of loopholes. Plebs are not entitled to the same thing.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 00:41

          I'm not saying that loopholes shouldn't be closed.

          Maybe post the double-dutch sandwich as a deal, before it expires!

        • DeafMutePretender on 13/08/2015 - 01:13

          @The Land of Smeg:

          I was just being hyperbolic to make a point on the double standards - wasn't saying you were saying that some parties are justified in taking advantage of loopholes. I wish I was rich enough to do the same thing.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 01:15

          Well I often take advantage of loopholes posted to OzBargain (which are not illegal) that get more value from large corporations, and I'm not rich, if that is any consolation. They find loopholes around the tax payer, we find loopholes around their business model.

        • arcticmonkey on 13/08/2015 - 07:42

          Well said. Multinationals can avoid paying hundreds of millions in tax but a pleb can't avoid paying $8 without being in fear.

          Welcome to society.

  • DrStinge on 12/08/2015 - 23:23
    +6

    Sorry TA; love your usual OZB dedication but this particular deal isn't in good faith of the transport system.

    • jv hi fi on 12/08/2015 - 23:38
      +3

      +1 I love you TA and all the work you do for OZB, but this is definitely not a deal.

  • adam149 on 12/08/2015 - 23:43
    +3

    Have to love how people get on their high horse about this being a loophole and not a bargain but then you get a deal which tells you to order 3 30cent cones from Mcdonalds and ask for toppings in a cup so you get a $1.40 mcflurry and that gets +300000 votes. Pfft

    • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 23:58
      +1

      Finding ways to avoid paying more at a fast food outlet is not an illegal activity.

      Fare evasion is.
      And may the powers above help those who really think fare evasion is a 'bargain'.

    • String name on 13/08/2015 - 00:05

      Or when people find an item priced incorrectly and it gets OzBargained, saving people a few bucks.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 23:57
    +2

    Many Authorised Officers are now employed by PTV and not individual operators such as Metro and Yarra Trams.

    Those Officers are multimodal. This means they have the power to check tickets across all modes of transport. Many PTV-employed Officers are not part of the RTBU, and it'd be safe to assume that in the absence of Metro Officers, their non-union counterparts would be more than willing to take over.

    Furthermore, considering that non-enforcement of fare evasion detection in itself is not a deal, this is not a deal either.

    For instance, if Coles has a strike where the staff don't scan customers' groceries, it doesn't absolve the customers from paying for their goods and doesn't make shoplifting any less of an offence.

    Similarly, inspectors not checking tickets does not make fare evasion any less of an offence than if the strikes did not proceed.

    Supporting fare evasion is effectively supporting an illegal activity. I really have no idea why illegal activity is being upvoted here, let alone this post making the front page of this website to start with.

    • ujwols on 13/08/2015 - 06:00
      +1

      Thank you.. but your comments are so much repetitive..

  • Jighuv on 13/08/2015 - 01:09
    -7

    Possible crime on a possible event. Someone needs to take a break and get some perspective. Sorry.
    NOT A DEAL.

  • PlagueistheCheap on 13/08/2015 - 03:56
    +4

    I cannot believe this behaviour is been supported on this site.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 06:25
      +1

      I can believe it!

  • kungfupanda on 13/08/2015 - 07:04
    +1

    Not a deal
    We know that it's so called 'FREE' by media because some metro staffs and ticket inspectors are joining the action - hence 'no one' would guard the gates or checking tickets. But there are non-union staffs who will be temporarily taking care of those roles. Better touch on your myki if you don't want to risk a fine.

    Sorry TA first neg vote on you for this deal :(

  • Psomaggi on 13/08/2015 - 07:22

    Smart move - Australia just reports the lowest wage grown in recorded history and these guys strike for an in-commensurate pay rise. Auto manufacturing workers did the same and we all remember how that went - vale the Australian car industry.

    We have an entitlement problem in this country. Large screen TVs, brand new cars and McMansions are privileges, not rights. Demanding higher wages for what is ostensibly unskilled work (or wages far outpacing the level of skill actually required) just to keep up with the Joneses is an illogical and unsustainable exercise. Employers will hire younger, willing labour, they will outsource to overseas manufacturing, they will mechanise and robotise the menial.

    I'm a left winger, but these unions need a reality check at times…

    • arcticmonkey on 13/08/2015 - 07:46
      +1

      What about helicopter flights?

      • Psomaggi on 13/08/2015 - 09:21

        As part of a search and rescue operation… right. Any other use - privilege. :)

  • CLoSeR on 13/08/2015 - 08:41
    +3

    Remove this.. it's not a deal.

  • dealman on 13/08/2015 - 10:19

    Sorry TA,
    Nothing against you personally, but this is ethically not a DEAL.
    I hope they take it DOWN.

  • HEADCAT on 13/08/2015 - 11:47

    I think you guys are being overly harsh on TA…I guess it's true how you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Put the pitchforks away!

    • steff on 13/08/2015 - 11:57
      +11

      No, people are being harsh on the "deal", not the poster, which is the way OZB works.

      While there may be some TA sheep, most people are expressing negetivity due to the fact that this is not a deal

      • HEADCAT on 13/08/2015 - 12:40
        +2

        I feel sorry for TA and love his work, and I don't think he deserves being branded as a criminal who encourages fare evasion. Obviously he feels victimised as well…you can see it in his defensive replies. He gave so much to the ozb community so I think it's fair to cut him some slack.

        • steff on 13/08/2015 - 13:13
          +5

          so you mean everyone should upvote the 'deal' as you have, just because its TA who posted it?

          I might be wrong, but is that the way it works around here?

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 13:25
          +1

          I don't think he deserves being branded as a criminal who encourages fare evasion.

          No one here is suggesting that. I think you are reading too much into the negative comments. The comments are criticising the deal not the poster.

          TA rocks!!! Not this deal though. End of story.

  • swiggity swag on 13/08/2015 - 12:27

    Just because members of the union claim to not be checking tickets doesn't make travel free. It's still an offencr to travel without a valid ticket. Anyway services won't be running as usual and there is potential for the network to be delayed and overcrowded.
    This is blatant fair evasion and is by no means a 'deal'. What's next should we start posting deals for 'free' movies from The Pirate Bay?

  • bxpressiv on 13/08/2015 - 12:29
    +9

    Guys, just FYI, there are no inspectors at East Camberwell station, so it's free to get on/off there right now. I'm about to post it up as UNCONFIRMED as of now until PTV can confirm/deny travel is free to East Camberwell today.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 13:38

      Lol.

  • patinadiary on 13/08/2015 - 15:21
    +3

    Sorry OP, of all the great deals you've been posting, this one is the worst of the lot. Frankly if you don't validate your ticket and don't get off in the city or any other station which doesn't have barriers or if no one on the tram checked your ticket, everyday potentially is a 'deal' in that case. To me this is simply fare evasion.

    • tightarse on 13/08/2015 - 15:25

      No need for an apology. I've read every comment in this post, and I still don't understand how anyone can be fined when statements like this are made/quoted all over newspapers and TV (source)? Maybe I can't see the forest for the trees, and would dearly love an explanation from someone in the know.

      • patinadiary on 13/08/2015 - 15:46
        +1

        They are simply saying they the are not checking tickets that day, how is that different from when you are travelling with an invalid ticket and you don't come across any inspectors? Or put it the other way, say the strike does go ahead, so you don't validate your ticket before you start the journey and but by some miraculous reason gets cancelled last moment and ticket inspectors are back on their job (i know they aren't that efficient, but lets make an exception) before you exit the city barriers and book you, will the argument of i thought it was a "free travel day" hold up in court?

        • tightarse on 13/08/2015 - 15:48
          -1

          Doesn't it also say they won't be issuing infringement notices? This is way too complex for me. I'll leave it to the experts. Thanks for the input :)

  • lyl on 13/08/2015 - 16:17

    Being a non-melbourner, I upvote this purely because I enjoyed popcorning while reading this long drama. (Is it possible to be reported for an invalid upvote?)

  • jason101 on 13/08/2015 - 17:24
    +2

    Down vote as I personally have no time for union bully tactics.

  • AssociatedR1ngSt1nger @ Metro Trains on 13/08/2015 - 17:34
    +7

    Disclaimer: I ticked the 'associated' box as I'm a Metro employee, and don't want to risk a ban on OzBargain. I do NOT work for the Herald Sun.

    Today, the RTBU announced to its members that the industrial action will go ahead.

    This is taken from the release:

    "The industrial actions notified include:
    1. Free Travel Days – Wednesday 19th and Friday 21st August
    Members will keep open the passenger ticket barriers at train stations and there will be a ban on the
    sale of Myki cards, uploading of Myki money, and inspecting passenger Myki cards on Wednesday
    19th and Friday 21st August 2015."

    If I knew how to upload a file, I'd upload the release, but have no idea how sorry.

    What this means for the public: You can use public transport for free on Wednesday and Friday next week without repercussion. Authorised Officers (AOs) are the only people who can issue infringement notices for not having a valid, touched-on Myki. Metro management have called on volunteers to man the Myki barriers at stations. They have no legal right to issue you with an infringement notice, nor do they have any rights to ask to see your Myki (they are NOT authorised by the State Government to do so). Their presence will just be a deterrent. Take no notice of them.

    I am not here to debate whether the industrial action should be done or not done, or whether it should be a 'deal' on OzBargain, I'm only here to confirm what TightArse posted here is true.

    • tightarse on 13/08/2015 - 18:15
      -1

      Thanks for this SavageCarrot. Feel free to PM me if you need help with uploading the release.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 18:37

      PTV has their own Authorised Officers who will be issuing fines.
      So no, the "free" travel day isn't real despite what your union is telling everyone.

      • AssociatedR1ngSt1nger @ Metro Trains on 13/08/2015 - 19:04
        +1

        All AOs whether they work for bus, tram or rail companies issue infringement notices on behalf of PTV. They work for the bus companies, tram company or rail company. I can't comment on whether PTV employ AOs directly. If they did, they would be eligible to join the RTBU like the AOs that work for Metro, etc.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 19:15

          PTV does have their own AOs, and have for more than a year now. None of them are members of the RTBU.
          Protective Services Officers will be issuing fines in place of the Metro and Yarra Trams AOs, they are employed by Victoria Police and are not member of the RTBU either.

          Back to my original point, doesn't matter what your union says about "free" travel days as there are two other agencies enforcing fare evasion.

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