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Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union

Transport union in Australia

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1362651627 · 2026-07-05T11:33:40Z
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Overview

The Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union (RTBU) is an Australian trade union representing rail, tram, and bus workers. The RTBU is affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and the Australian Labor Party (ALP). Internationally, the RTBU is affiliated with the International Transport Workers' Federation. It has a membership of 31,975 as at 31 December 2024.

History

The union was formed on 1 March 1993 as the Public Transport Union (PTU) through the amalgamation of four long-standing transport unions: the Australian Railways Union, the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees, the Australian Tramway and Motor Omnibus Employees' Association and the National Union of Rail Workers of Australia. The amalgamation effectively created one union for public transport workers for the first time in Australia. It adopted its current name in 1998.

Structure

It is organised into National Divisions, covering Infrastructure; Rail Operations; Tram and Bus; Locomotive; Workshops and Salaried and Professional. There are seven state branches, with the National Office located in Sydney: * New South Wales * Queensland * Western Australia * South Australia and Northern Territory * Victoria * Tasmania

Gallery

File:Jackie Trad at RTBU Rally 2015.jpg RTBU Queensland rally against the Newman government, Brisbane 2015 File:20051115 Australia NSW Sydney IRProtest RTBU.jpg RTBU New South Wales members protesting WorkChoices, 2005 File:SLNSW 6707 Rail tram and public service unions protest march against Public Service Reduction Act by Federal Arbitration Court.jpg Rail, tram and public service unions protesting against the Public Service Reduction Act, 1934 File:StateLibQld 1 390741 Tram Strike, Brisbane, 1912.jpg Union members outside Brisbane Trades Hall during the 1912 tram strike File:StateLibQld 1 296179 Railway Workers' strike, Brisbane, 1948.jpg Railway Workers' strike, Brisbane, 1948 File:StateLibQld 2 290399 Crowds and police in Edward Street infront of the Trades Hall during the Railways Strike, Brisbane, 1948.jpg Crowds and police in Edward Street in front of the Trades Hall during the Railways Strike, Brisbane, 1948 File:RTBUqld2012.png RTBU supporters carrying a banner in the Brisbane Labour Day March, 2012

See also

* Railway trade unions in Australia

External links

* *Rail Tram and Bus Union (Queensland Branch) *Rail Tram and Bus Union (NSW Branch)

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