Canberra bus drivers call snap strike over assaults, leaving ...

Canberra bus drivers walked off the job in a snap strike on Friday, leaving morning public transport users stranded at bus stops.

The Transport Workers' Union (TWU) said the unprotected strike action was due to a high number of assaults against their members.

Transport Canberra said light rail and special needs buses would run as normal, but the strike could last all day.

Late in the day, the ACT government said services would return to normal on Saturday, November 16.

"A hearing was held with the Fair Work Commission this afternoon where the Transport Workers Union has agreed for its members to return to work from tomorrow," the statement said.

"While no bus services will be operating tonight, Transport Canberra's transport officers will be working across the network to provide assistance to customers.

"Transport Canberra would like to express its sincere apologies and acknowledges the inconvenience felt by many in the community today."

Klaus Pinkas says Transport Canberra bus drivers are being assaulted by passengers regularly. (ABC News: Mark Moore)

TWU ACT Sub-Branch Secretary Klaus Pinkas said at least 40 assaults on drivers were reported each month and the strike action was a cry for help.

"Drivers are getting assaulted on a daily basis," Mr Pinkas said.

"We have drivers having Coke cans thrown at them, we have drivers getting punched, we've got drivers getting spat on.

 "Just yesterday afternoon a driver had a bag of fish heads poured on them which is new to me, but these sorts of things are just ongoing and there's no response and nothing done from Transport Canberra management."

Transport Canberra operations manager Ian McGlinn apologised for the disruption to commuters and said the ACT government had been working to advise schools and other people dependent on the services about the snap strike.

"Until we can get into the Fair Work Commission this morning and seek an injunction, or some orders, best plans today are there will be no bus services,'' Mr McGlinn said on Friday morning.

Callers to ABC Radio Canberra said some cars had pulled over at bus stops to advise people waiting for buses of the strike.

Bus drivers in Canberra called the snap strike on Friday morning. (ABC News: Courtney Barrett Peters)

ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel criticised the strike on Friday and said Transport Canberra had been looking at all options to get buses back on the road.

"It's disappointing that today the many Canberrans who depend on bus services to get to school or work are being left behind,'' Mr Steel said on Friday afternoon.

"I've asked Transport Canberra to pursue all options available, including through the Fair Work Commission, to restore bus services and to ensure that they remain reliable.''

Transport minister Chris Steel said the strike was "disappointing". (ABC News: Emmy Groves)

Mr Steel said the government was committed to improving safety of bus drivers, including through the introduction of transport officers with powers to address anti-social behaviour.

"Everyone deserves respect at work, and the government is committed to ensuring safety for all drivers and passengers,'' Mr Steel said.

"ACT Labor committed at the election to introduce a new team of transport officers on our bus routes to promote safety and we will deliver that commitment.

"We developed that commitment after meeting with drivers to hear their concerns. We also committed to review legislative powers for transport officers to address anti-social behaviour.''

 A number of bus drivers had left town by Friday afternoon, after gathering that morning due to the stoppage. (ABC News: Courtney Barrett Peters)

At a Fair Work Commission hearing on Friday afternoon, TWU legal officer Sophia Nasser said the "stoppage" was not industrial action, but a strike based on fears about the "imminent and serious risk to employees".

She said it was "particularly sparked by an incident that occurred, I'm instructed, last night in relation to occupational violence against an employee on the network".

Tania Weir, speaking for Transport Canberra, said work was being undertaken to address these concerns prior to today's action.

"The explanation for the action that's been given by the TWU is that it's unsatisfied with the progress of actions that the ACT has undertaken to progress in relation to occupational violence faced by bus drivers," Ms Weir told the hearing.

"And as I understand it, there is a plan in place, there are regular meetings of a working group in place, and there are some issues that have been undertaken [that] will be addressed, and the union's concern was that that action has not been taken fast enough."

Bus depots around Canberra remained empty on Friday after the unexpected strike. (ABC News: Mary Goode)

But Ms Weir said she did not believe there was necessarily "imminent risk" to bus drivers.

"As I see it, on the basis of that information that I have, that doesn't extend to the to the level that is necessary to say that there's an imminent risk, a reasonable concern of an imminent risk to an employee's help or safety, which would take it out of industrial action," she said.

Mr Pinkas told the hearing that it was not possible for drivers to return to work on Friday afternoon.

"A number of [drivers] have left town or are not available, and a number of — well, most of them — believe that they're not working this afternoon, after discussions with Transport Canberra," he said.

"To get buses back piecemeal … to get some busses back, and others not, is a complicated message for Transport Canberra.

"Our reasoning is that it is complicated as well for our members, and also the risk of abuse out there this afternoon for our members, it is unacceptable. But the main reason is logistically, it's hard to do because not all buses will be on the road, and it's hard to work out who's where."