EA Bargaining meeting #5

18 July 2024

Dear Members,

This morning, we recommenced bargaining after yesterday’s unfortunate refusal of our Multi-Enterprise Agreement claim.

Today was spent moving through the log of claims sequentially and finding out if management representatives in the room could negotiate on it, or whether a body or person other than Sydney Trains and NSW Trains needed to make a decision on it. This issue continues to raise its head in bargaining with the NSW Government.

The counter-productive government decision-making process continues to hamper the progress of our EA despite the change of government in March 2023. This decision making process is entirely incompatible with the Federal bargaining system and the NSW Government needs to address this urgently.

Regardless, we made some good progress through the log in explaining some important issues to management. The day ended with another heated discussion about payroll and our claim to bring it back in-house. A discussion ensued about the contract that Sydney Trains and NSW Trains has with Transport for NSW to provide payroll services. Remarkably, it appears that Sydney Trains and NSW Trains have no actual power to suspend or cancel the contract, and they are stuck with the arrangement for payroll. We’ll continue to push for the payroll function to come back in house and for penalties when people aren’t paid correctly.

We also put forward our claim for an increase to the industrial allowance to $5,000 per year on the completion of an industrial knowledge course to provide members with the skills required for the job and enhance all members knowledge of the enterprise agreement.  

Finally, late this afternoon, we filed our protected action ballot application with the Fair Work Commission. With the ongoing refusal to agree to bargain for a Multi-Enterprise Agreement, and the insulting pay offer delivered last fortnight, the only way to move forward is through action on the ground.

Remember to urgently update your details with the office by emailing nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au with your new details so that you can be assured to get your vote.

In unity, 

RTBU NSW