The secretary of Unions NSW, John Robertson, believes that as Sydney’s transport problems are so bad, workers should be paid for the time they spend commuting.
To facilitate productivity during this time, governments should pay for wireless internet connections to be installed on trains to enable white collar workers to work while commuting.
This is a brilliant plan and long overdue. But does it go far enough?
No, it does not.
It is suspected the many collateral public policy benefits of Robertson’s suggestion may have escaped even his capacious intellect.
It’s discriminatory
Blue collar workers must not miss out.
Trains should be fitted with metal shops, work benches and tools. Hydraulic lifts for mechanics are also needed.
Long trains are excellent venues for outside workers, such as dog walkers and personal trainers, to put their charges through their paces.
What about the professionals?
If they lined the seats up to face the same way and replaced route maps (which won’t be needed – see below) with a few whiteboards, teachers could conduct classes. After all, the kids are already on the trains.
Small courts must be constructed to enable litigants, lawyers and members of the judiciary who live in the same area to do their bit to knock over the depressingly long civil list on the way to the office.
Surgeons could conduct elective surgery and the already bright lighting would afford dental hygienists the opportunity to de-scale and polish en route to the surgery.
Waiting times for justice and health care will be reduced at a stroke.
What about housing?
Sure, Robertson is onto something identifying the time spent by workers commuting, but is he addressing the root cause of all this commuting?
No, he is not.
The real evil is the housing affordability crisis which pushes workers out to the city fringe forcing them to commute in the first place.
However, at the price of some bunks, an ablutions carriage or two and a few dining cars (why should chefs not work while they ride), the state would be providing accommodation for the price of a season ticket.
With work and living facilities on the train, commuting would be obviated. The new trains then could be shunted to switching yards where the wheels would be removed. Not having all that rolling stock moving around will save energy and help us win the battle against global warming.
It’s all in a morning’s work for Mr. John Robertson, secretary of Unions NSW and future Nobel laureate.
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