The RTBU has continued to press the campaign to address the issue of diesel fumes at Southern Cross Station with activists attending the station to escalate pressure on the government and station management.
Wearing hazmat suits and respirators, workers chanted and displayed placards to protest against poor air quality and its impacts on the health of workers and the travelling public, demanding that station management take action to rectify the issue.
With diesel powered regional trains and coaches operating under the expansive roofline, health concerns have been raised on numerous accounts with station management, operators and government, but all major stakeholders have insisted that exposure is within safe tolerances.
We, along with the wider trade union movement, have long advocated for the current antiquated standards to be updated which has recently resulted in Safe Work Australia updating exposure standards to reflect lower thresholds. These new standards officially come into effect from 1 December 2026 and as such we are demanding steps be taken to to ensure compliance with the new standards and making Southern Cross a safer place for our members.
The RTBU is demanding that InfraNexus (a company which is owned by IFM Investors and is responsible for the operation of Southern Cros station) and the state government take prompt action in consultation with the RTBU and commit to a scope of works that addresses air quality at Southern Cross.
We will continue to campaign until action is taken and will continue to keep members informed of progress.
