Earlier this year Swan Transit ordered a private investigation into allegations of bullying, victimisation and harassment by its managers against bus drivers.

The investigation was initiated after several drivers made official complaints to Worksafe and the TWU.

We understand the investigator handed his report to the company back in July but the bus firm has refused to provide the union with a copy.

In mid-September we complained to co-owner Neil Smith that there had been no feedback to drivers on the investigator's findings.

We also told Neil that the complaints of the 14 drivers were not without foundation and far too serious and too common to be taken lightly.

We believed an worrying culture existed at some Swan Transit depots - and many drivers were extremely reluctant to speak out about their concerns for fear of losing their jobs or being victimised in other ways.

Neil Smith acknowledged that his company had been remiss in not communicating the investigator's findings to drivers.

On September 17, Swan Transit managers Joe Jordan and Jim Barlow met with three elected safety delegates from the Southern River depot.

Of those three safety delegates only two were bus drivers, Phil Murdoch and Ricky Sadler.

Following the meeting Swan Transit agreed to give the TWU a copy of the minutes of that meeting.

The minutes show the investigator made seven (7) recommendations.

However, several of those recommendations have, "been removed for confidentiality".

The other recommendations made no mention of the 14 people interviewed or the investigators findings in relation to them.

It is therefore difficult for us to conclude other than that the investigation and subsequent report were little more than a WHITEWASH.

However, the investigators first two recommendations probably warrant wider circulation than they have received.

They are:

9.1: Swan Transit may benefit from a grievance process that provides staff with an opportunity at the workplace level rather than escalating outside the organization. The people appointed to the grievance resolution roles should be provided with training and ongoing support to carry out this function.

(TWU Comment: We agree 100% as long as drivers who participate in the process do not suffer as a consequence of their involvement in it).

9.2: Managers may benefit from further education on managing workplace conduct and work performance. Managers may certainly benefit from further education with regards to workplace bullying, discrimination and harassment.

(TWU Comment: We certainly hope so).