2022 Rail and Road - March Edition

VOLUME 116 No.1 March 2022

AND

RAILROAD THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW BRANCH OF THE RAIL, TRAM & BUS UNION

Our Rights Our Fight

Rail Shutdown

Govt Calls Workers Terrorists’

Print Post Approved 25500003-01148

NSW BRANCH Head Office

Level 4, 321 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Tel (02) 92642511 Email nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au Website www.rtbuexpress.com.au

Jervis Bay

Tram and Bus Division 83-89 Renwick Street Redfern NSW 2016 Tel (02) 93197277 Email nswbus@rtbu-nsw.asn.au

Locomotive Division

Level 4, 321 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 Tel (02) 92643400 Fax (02) 92647679 Email nswloco@rtbu-nsw.asn.au

RTBU Holiday Park Vacancies - Book your holiday now

The RTBU Holiday Park is a great place to escape to for a peaceful break in the National Park and a walk along the beach.

Avoid the rush and the high season rates - book your holiday now. The Holiday Park is situated in a National Park and Members can enjoy a holiday by the sea and relax with fishing, tennis, boating, swimming or bushwalking.

RTBU members can also now get discounted rates at the United Services Riverside Resort at Port Macquarie.

For booking enquiries please telephone Head Office on

(02) 9264 2511 Find Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RTBUNSW AND

RAILROAD

ADVERTISING RATES

Newcastle Office

33 Gordon Avenue, Hamilton NSW 2303 Tel 02 9264 2511 Email newcastle@rtbu-nsw.asn.au

Wollongong Office

Level 1, 306a Crown Street, Wollongong, 2500 Tel (02) 9264 2511 Email wollongong@rtbu-nsw.asn.au

Branch Executive Secretary President Assistant Secretary (Road) Assistant Secretary (Rail)

Elected Full-Time Officials Branch Secretary Alex Claassens Locomotive Divisional Secretary Farren Campbell Tram and Bus Divisional Secretary David Babineau Tram and Bus Divisional President Daniel Jaggers

Organisers Director of Organising

Toby Warnes

Industrial Campaign Organiser

Courtney Thompson

Branch Organisers

Helen Bellette Craig Turner Ricky Keehn Trent Hunter Wayne Moody Jay Suvaal

Locomotive Organisers

Steve Wright Kevin Pryor Marc Chapman

Selective advertising is available in RAIL & ROAD at competitive individual issue rates or a discounted annual rate. A design service is also available to have your advertisement professionally designed to your specifications.

RAIL & ROAD is the official journal of the NSW Branch of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and is produced as part of the union’s communication strategy to inform and report on matters of interest to members.

All editorial and advertising inquiries should be addressed to Peter O’Connor Telephone: 0430 188 116 e-mail: unionnetwork@bigpond.com Printing - Brightset, Banksmeadow, (02) 9316 4800 Art & Design - P Design - proberson@hotmail.com - Phone 0402 032 949

Alex Claassens Joanne McCallum David Babineau Robert Hayden

Industrial Officers Branch Tram & Bus Locomotive Legal Officer - Locomotive Communications Officer

Jason Hart Lizanne Bennett Nicholas Aplin Peter Matthews Peter O’Connor

From the Branch Secretary 2021-2022 has been extremely difficult for our members and the broader community, with one challenge quickly followed by the next. Following the rolling waves of the pandemic, in which our members remained on the frontline and kept transport services operating safely, and just as we were starting to feel some relief from the easing of the COVID restrictions, and return to some level of normal working, we had to keep our eye on the industrial manoeuvres by the NSW Government.

Towards the end of last year we took a series of industrial actions in an attempt to force progress in negotiations for on enterprise agreement with Sydney and NSW Trains. After the festive season, we saw the disgraceful fiasco with the deliberate shut down of the rail network on 21 February by the Transport bureaucrats, and we saw this cynical strategy backfire badly for the government, with media and the community heavily critical of the Government’s deceptions.

for NSW, to avoid dealing with the workforce in this process.

The endgame is for public transport to be completely privatised and largely automated – which will also make it more expensive, less safe, less convenient, and certainly less reliable for the people who need to use it.

We have put in our log of claims a guarantee that any new rail operations will be as safe or safer than what the people of NSW enjoy now. A commitment that no train services will be lost in the event of privatisation. A quota for local train manufacturing to revitalise that industry. A commitment to keeping guards on our trains.

These are the claims that the government and their bureaucrats are fighting, because it will disrupt their grand plan for an unsafe, private rail network with no rail workers.

As I stated in the media at the time, what rail workers are fighting for is much bigger than anything we can put in a Log of Claims. We’re fighting to save the future of public transport in this state.

Immediately after the rail shutdown, RTBU representatives met with Transport Minister David Elliott, who committed to expediting the EA negotiations process and outcomes. It would seem that while Minister Elliott is the mouthpiece for the Government in this situation, that carriage of the industrial process has been handed to Minister for Employee Relations Damien Tudehope.

The NSW Coalition Government has spent the past decade and billions of taxpayer dollars dismantling and selling off our transport network. It even created a new entity, Transport

We will continue to fight for a safe and sustainable public transport system, and will continue to take whatever action is necessary to hold the Government accountable and to

expose their lies.

While this bizarre distraction was happening in rail, our Tram and Bus Division has been working for improvements for members in regions transitioning to privatised services.

New agreements have been negotiated, or in the process of negotiation, with Keolis Downer in Newcastle, and in Regions 6 and Region 9 in Sydney.

We will continue to do our job in defending and improving members’ conditions, and ultimately the voting public will determine whether they want the current Federal and NSW Governments in charge of our transport. The RTBU National Office has put transport front and centre in the upcoming Federal election by asking Federal candidates to make a pledge to support safer and faster passenger and freight networks across Australia.

As we go to press, I would like to send our sincere thoughts and sympathy for all those who have been impacted by the latest round of natural disaster in the flooding events in Queensland and NSW. The RTBU has started a Go Fund Me page to assist members and their families affected by the floods, and we will continue to support all efforts to assist these communities in recovering from these devastating events.

In this Issue Industrial News

General News

Rail Workers Ready to Operate the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Editorial - The Language of the Rail Shutdown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Our Rights Our Fight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Govt Planned for Rail Shutdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

ITF Safe and Sustainable Rail Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 In Cab Audio and Video Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Industrial Notes

Minister’s Commitment on the NIF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Secure Jobs - Worth Fighting For . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Public Holiday Pay Entitlement Win. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Rail Workers Call on Govt to Rip Up Regional Fleet Contract . . 23

Infrastructure EAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Paid Domestic Violence Leave Saves Lives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Tram & Bus News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Whistlestop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Industrial News Rail workers ready to operate the network NSW Government dummy spit shuts train network Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens, said workers turned up to work on the morning of 21st February, prepared to take part in low level protected industrial action which would not have impacted commuters, only to be told by management that trains would not be running.

“This is a dummy spit from the NSW Government,” Mr Claassens said. “Workers were prepared to take protected industrial action, but only transport management would have noticed the impact, not commuters. The impact to services today is not because of workers’ actions, but because the NSW Government is spitting the dummy and trying to make a point.

“We’re ready to drive the trains whenever the NSW Government will let us.

“All members were at work, ready to work. They were ready and waiting to crew the trains only to be told the trains aren’t running today. There is no impediment, only stubbornness on behalf of the NSW Government.”

Mr Claassens said rail workers have been bitterly disappointed by the NSW’s Government’s approach to current enterprise agreement negotiations, particularly over the days leading to the shut down, which have seen the NSW Government take a heavy-handed, expensive and legal approach to workers’ legal right to take industrial action.

“We’re tryng to negotiate an enterprise agreement that enshrines safety on our train network. For the NSW Government to suggest otherwise is unbelievable. It’s time the NSW Government stopped trying to bully workers into submission and start resolving the laundry list of safety and employment issues workers have raised.”

Among the key sticking points in current enterprise agreement negotiations are: Privatisation – workers want a commitment that no train services or lines will be lost in the event of privatisation; Safety claims – workers want a guarantee that any changes to our services will leave them as safe or safer; Hygiene – workers want a commitment to maintaining the existing level of hygiene using good, full time jobs.

Page 4

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED & NEED LEGAL ADVICE? MICHAEL BARNES PARTNER

SCOTT DOUGALL PARTNER

PETER LLEONART PARTNER

When it matters contact Michael Barnes, Scott Dougall or Peter Lleonart for an obligation free consultation.

Carroll & O’Dea are lawyers for the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and can assist you with your legal needs.

Workers Compensation Personal Injury Damages Claims Motor Vehicle Claims

Insurance Disputes Assessing Total and Permanent Disability claims

Providing trusted advice to RTBU members for over 50 years.

1800 059 278 enquiry@codea.com.au

www.codea.com.au

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation Level 18, St James Centre, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000

SYDNEY PARRAMATTA NEWCASTLE CANBERRA WOLLONGONG CAMPBELLTOWN

Our Rights Our Fight It was a less-than-merry Christmas for the NSW Government with the RTBU forced to roll out a Protected Action Advent Calendar after long-running enterprise bargaining talks with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) stalled.

NSW Branch Secretary Alex Claassens said members were left with no choice but to take further protected industrial action, with the Government playing Uncle Scrooge and negotiations for a new Enterprise Agreement seemingly going nowhere.

• A work-to-rule;

“It’s unfortunate that workers were forced into this position by TfNSW management and the NSW Government,” Alex said.

• Train drivers blowing whistles at stations (during daylight hours);

“Workers didn’t want to take action, but were not left with any other options, with management and the Government refusing to commit to basic safety, hygiene and privatisation provisions as part of the EA negotiations.”

The advent calendar highlighted a number of RTBU bans and actions, including:

Page 6

• Station staff and shunters wearing union gear and shorts; • Bans on cleaning up hazardous waste and graffti; • Network-wide overnight stoppages;

• A ban on performing work when contractors were present; • Station staff sitting down on duty; and • Day-long bans on operating overseas-built rolling stock.

The calendar also recommended RTBU members make a concerted effort to communicate the union’s position by speaking to the public, making announcements wherever possible, and attaching union

material to railway assets and outgoing correspondence.

But it was the ban on overseasbuilt rolling stock that had perhaps the most impact, with rail workers refusing to operate those trains on two Tuesdays, December 7 and 14.

The action meant about 75 per cent of Sydney suburban and NSW intercity trains were out of action, with services running to a reduced frequency on most lines, with additional station stops and longer journey times.

“We know actions like this are an inconvenience to commuters, but the ball was in the court of management and the Government,” Alex said.

“They could have stopped the action by simply agreeing to workers’ basic asks around safety, hygiene and privatisation.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

“Our action had an impact on services because so many of our transport assets are built overseas.

“That’s particularly significant given all the issues we’re seeing with overseas-built transport assets at the moment, such as the innerwest light rail and the New InterCity Fleet.”

Train drivers and guards are particularly concerned about the latter, with the South Korean-built fleet yet to enter service following major safety concerns.

The New InterCity Fleet is designed to be run without guards, with their important role replaced

by CCTV monitored by the driver, posing a huge safety risk to workers and commuters.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Earlier united action by RTBU members saw TfNSW back down on an insulting pay offer of just 0.3 per cent in the next EBA. It is now offering a 2.5 per cent pay increase, inclusive of superannuation.

But at the time of writing key sticking points in the EA negotiations included: • Privatisation – workers want a commitment to services and jobs in the event of privatisation; • safety claims – workers want a guarantee that any changes to our services will leave them as safe or safer; • hygiene – workers want a commitment to maintaining the existing level of hygiene using good, publicly owned jobs.

Page 7

The International Transport Workers Federation – Safe and Sustainable Rail Campaign The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. The ITF connects nearly 700 affiliated trade unions from 150 countries that may otherwise be isolated and helping their members to secure rights, equality and justice, providing a global voice for nearly 20 million working men and women across the world.

The ITF has been campaigning globally to secure safe and sustainable rail services, based on data, feedback and survey responses from affiliates around the world.

The following is an edited summary of the campaign’s vision. In the next issue of Rail & Road we will provide the list of demands that the ITF has formulated to achieve this vision. Details of this and other ITF campaigns can be found at www. itfglobal.org Safe and Sustainable Rail Safe and sustainable rail can help power the world out of the economic, climate and social crises we face today. Safe and sustainable rail is a new economic and social model that redefines the role of passengers, workers, employers, the state and the environment.

Safe We need fully staffed rail operations and services to protect the safety of all. Two-thirds of surveyed affiliates have seen staff cuts in their workplaces. Job cuts across the industry threatens the safety and security of passengers, and the communities rail moves between and through. Low staffing also puts passengers and workers, particularly women, at higher risk of violence and harassment.

Page 8

We need to fill skills shortages through decent work and free education and training to ready rail for the future. We need skilled rail workers on our trains, in our stations, and building and repairing our tracks. We need rail apprenticeships for women, young people and all workers that face higher barriers to entry, retention and promotion in the industry.

New technology in rail is not necessarily safer or more ‘efficient’ than skilled, fully-staffed rail systems. Collective bargaining must be used to stop exploitation (disproportionately of women and young workers), low pay, overwork, fatigue, stress, gender-based segregation, and safety failures growing alongside new technology.

Public Privatisation puts passengers, workers, and our communities at risk.

As a result, passenger miles travelled tend to fall in privatised rail. Seventy-seven percent of surveyed affiliates said rail liberalisation had worsened working conditions. Fundamentally, privatised rail is unsafe and unsustainable. It cannot offer the long-term planning and investment required for the green, modal shift to rail.

Subcontracted cleaning, catering, maintenance and other rail services are less safe and rely on the exploitation of underskilled workers. Those jobs that are restructured, subcontracted and/ or exploited, in all rail professions, are disproportionately occupied by women and young workers.

Subcontracting is also a major barrier to the modal shift from road freight to rail. Two-thirds of surveyed unions regarded outsourcing as an issue for their members in rail. Maintenance and infrastructure jobs were identified as the main victims of outsourcing.

Rail is a public good. Rail must be designed to meet the needs of workers, passengers and communities, not the needs of corporations and private capital.

Public ownership is safer, betterplanned, more efficient, higherquality, more accessible, more accountable, and is one of the great equalisers in society.

Profits must be reinvested in rail, used to subsidise other green public transport, or returned to public funds. Public financing is the only way to ensure rail is safe, funded and strong enough to power us out of the crises we face today and tomorrow.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Sustainable

sustain millions of skilled jobs.

We are in a climate emergency.

We need a fundamental economic transformation to avert catastrophe.

Safe and sustainable rail must be at the heart of this new economic model.

Investment in high-speed rail reduces emissions from longdistance vehicles, and opens up existing rail capacity for freight transportation. High-speed rail must be at the heart of any national and international sustainable economy.

Technology alone will not reduce emissions to the level we need to decarbonise transport. Mass transit must replace the majority of cars and inefficient models of freight distribution to sufficiently reduce transport’s carbon emissions. Safe and sustainable rail is the key to this modal shift to mass transit.

Per passenger kilometre, heavy rail emits 75% less emissions than cars, and light rail emits 57% less In addition to the modal shift to rail, we must also decarbonise rail itself, and the energy system it relies on.

Electric and hydrogen rail (Hydrail) are enjoying lower costs and higher investment in the biggest rail markets. Construction, installation, maintenance and operation of e-rail and Hydrail systems can create and

Social justice The scale of investment in rail that the environment and the economy needs requires support from workers, passengers and citizens.

Support for an undertaking this size can only be built on transparency, democracy and accountability at all stages.

Collective bargaining is the most effective and powerful form of workplace democracy and accountability, and must therefore be at the heart of safe and sustainable rail.

Rail is a natural monopoly. The unprecedented modal shift to rail our climate needs therefore demands a single, coordinated, public entity

responsible for fair planning and delivery.

Transparency cannot end at the train station. There must be social justice in railway supply chains. The supply chains of rail systems must be subject to the same standards, scrutiny and improvements. This includes working with the ITF and its affiliates around the world to guarantee sustainable finance, ethical procurement and human rights due diligence throughout the supply chain of rail systems.

New technology should be utilised for the social good, not for economic gain. Rail workers must negotiate, receive training, and be rewarded for working with any new technology being introduced in rail systems.

There should be no automation without negotiation.

Workers must control their data and how it is used. New apps and algorithms have inbuilt gender, cultural and ethnic biases, and make life and death decisions with little oversight.

In-cab audio and video update As members would be aware, the RTBU has been campaigning for protections regarding in-cab audio and video recordings with government and ONRSR. Over the past three years we have continued to advocate a strong NO campaign.

During this time however some operators such as Watco, Aurizon and The Bowen Rail Company have purchased locomotives with this technology in built and there are little or no legislative protections in place for members working in these companies.

The operators and manufacturers are attempting to roll out this technology across the industry without input or considerations on the impacts on train crew. With this in mind the RTBU has been engaged with ONRSR which was directed by the government Ministerial Council to consult with us on the proposed policy.

The RTBU has now won additional protections which have been included in the legislative policy which, although far from perfect, are the likely maximum that can be achieved between the parties at this stage. These include: • Limitations which only allow ONRSR, ATSB and the police access to historical recordings (rather than live feeds) after a notifiable occurrence.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

• Access to recordings can only be for rail safety reasons. Limitations on the publication and disclosure of the recordings. Access constraints for testing.

• If an operator tries to access the devices as a live feed, that the employees affected need to be notified in advance. (We understand that this is insufficient but is a base protection that we could achieve at this stage).

• The requirement of Operators to consult with train crew effected prior to introduction and use of recordings by the companies (including live feed).

For those protections which the RTBU was unable to successfully secure at this stage, which includes an absolute ban on in-cab recording devices being used for live feeds by employers, the RTBU will continue to press for those protections during the legislative drafting stage which is likely to commence mid next year.

The RTBU will be involved in the legislative drafting and we will need to be satisfied that train crew are protected prior to in-cab recordings being mandated in any form.

Page 9

Industrial Notes

Infrastructure EA UPDATE The John Holland Rail EA 2022 Union members were approached by Management in November 2021, just prior to the expiry date of December 2021 to consider whether they would accept the continuation of the 2018 EA and roll it over for other 4 years.

Management were keen to keep the stability and provide certainty for members within the teams and to avoid any delays bargaining can produce.

After giving consideration to both options, of roll over or bargain space, members agreed to roll the EA over with all conditions maintained , including a wage increase of 3.5% . The agreement was lodged with the Fair Work Commission and subsequently approved.

RTBU members at the Junee to Griffith rerail job

Public Holiday Pay Entitlement Dispute Win NSW Trainlink failed to provide the required 14-day notice indicating a drivers converted public holiday schedule alteration and/or Public Holiday (HOL) conversion for the gazetted New Year’s Day Public Holiday on 3rd January 2022.

This matter was immediately placed into Step 2 of the Dispute Settlement Procedures, compelling NSW TrainLink to meet with the

Page 10

Locomotive Division in an effort to resolve the issue and afford the membership their entitlements.

Given this failure to inform of the status of the shift, and in accordance with the Drivers Rostering and Working Arrangements Clause 3.10.2, Drivers have the ability to additionally claim the payment of the shift prior to the conversion to a Public Holiday (HOL).

Initially NSW TrainLink attempted to disadvantage drivers by providing Time Credits that would have seen a stand-alone 8-hour payment for the gazetted public holiday.

The Locomotive Division was also made aware of attempts to have members access accrued leave entitlement to cover the day.

The Locomotive Division intervened, and the shift was rightly converted to a

Public Holiday (HOL).

Members who did not indicate the Clause 3.10.2 claim on their time sheet are advised to contact their Shift Manager ASAP and have an amended timesheet submitted to ensure correct payment.

Any member who does not receive the payment is requested to contact their Local Locomotive Division Depot Organiser or alternatively contact RTBU Head Office.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Right of Way Rhomberg Rail EA Procedures for Guards Shortage of Station staff and On Board Repeaters Currently due to rostering related issues, NSW Trains are struggling to cover a range of shifts for Station Staff and On-Board Repeaters that are utilised for Right of Way assistance to Guards across the network.

In circumstances where there are no Station Staff or Repeaters present, members are reminded to follow the NTOSP 7 - Right of Way Procedure for Guards and Passenger Service Supervisors. This procedure outlines the process that Guards should follow while safely departing platforms.

If there are no Station Staff or On-Board Repeaters present, Guards need to ensure it is safe to close the passenger doors and depart the platform prior to providing the bell signal to the Driver to depart.

Should members not be able to see the entire length of the platform from

their Crew Compartment, and there are no staff to assist, members should walk the platform to a position where they are able to view all passenger doors, ensuring there are no passengers caught in the doors or in an unsafe position prior to the departure of the train.

After closing the passenger doors, Members should repeat this walk on the platform to ensure it is safe to depart the platform.

Should this cause a delay to the train, Guards should submit a delay slip as with any delay.

This is an important safety function for Train Guards and the community that we have been fighting hard to keep for many years.

To help ensure the safety of passengers and help protect all jobs, including the Guard’s role into the future, please make sure you do your job safely and in accordance with necessary procedures, including NTOSP 7.

Negotiations for the Rhomberg Rail National EA commenced around March 2021 management tabled an offer of 2.5% per year for a 3-year agreement with a new improved classification structure.

A total of eight meetings were conducted, with members achieving improvement with the rostering, 24hr break between Night shift to Day shift will be applied and will not be counted as a fatigue day The Agreement was lodged and certified by the Fair Work Commission after members voted 35 out of 37 in favour of the Agreement.

ARTC EA The ARTC 2022 EA has now been certified by the Fair

Work Commission.

This bargaining was significantly different to the 2018 EA that forced members to take protected industrial action due to the hostilities and behaviour of management at that time.

While the wage increases were unfortunately in line with the Federal Government wage policy the members were able to make several significant improvements in the EA.

Taylor Rail EA

This EA has taken some time to put together , however the 2022 Taylor Rail EA has been lodged with the Fair Work Commission in January 2022. Major concerns were raised

by Management regarding the casual all-purpose rate, but the Union members and the company worked together to allow for the replacement of this clause with a casual conversion clause which will provide the opportunity for job security. While the wages increase was not as significant as other EAs, protection of all conditions and ability to build on in the future was significant.

Train Signallers Win Key Safety Claims Train signallers eased their industrial action in early February banning overtime shifts after the NSW Government agreed to resolve some of workers’ key safety claims in their new enterprise agreement.

On the evening of 8th February, Transport Minister David Elliot committed to include two key safety asks in rail workers’ enterprise agreement with NSW Trains and Sydney Trains: • No driver-only trains in NSW, which will allow guards to continue working with drivers and station staff to ensure passenger safety on the platform • A fully transparent risk-assessment process for all new trains, with safety concerns to be evaluated by an independent third party Train signallers ceased their overtime ban at the Minister’s request, while the bans remained in place for the rest of Sydney and NSW Train employees until 21 February. All employees will continue the bans on

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

working with contractors and foreign depot working as bargaining with transport management continues.

“This is a win for thousands of rail workers who have spent a year fighting for these safety claims – claims transport management have knocked back again and again at the bargaining table,” says Alex Claassens, Secretary of RTBU NSW. “At the same time, rail workers should not have to fight this hard for common sense safety measures on our railways.

“We are hopeful that bargaining with NSW and Sydney Trains will now be more productive and management will agree to negotiate on the rest of workers’ important safety claims.

“I sincerely apologise to anyone whose travel is disrupted. However, this week of industrial action has achieved what a year of negotiations could not, and made our railways safer for you to travel.”

Page 11

TRAM & BUS NEWS

Keolis Downer Newcastle Enterprise Bargaining Update The RTBU met with management representatives on 16 and 23 February 2022 to continue negotiations for the Keolis Downer Newcastle Bus Operations Enterprise Agreement 2021.

The last 3 EA meetings have centred

Region 9 transfer

Things are going to plan so far and the RTBU and Transdev have reached an in-principle agreement on the draft EA. As we work through the details, members have been encouraged to return the paperwork that was sent out to them by the company. A with Region 8 (Northern Beaches), an informal vote prior to transition will be held to give members a chance to provide feedback on the state of the draft EA. Pending member endorsement, the company will offer the agreed on draft for a formal vote once they take over.

If that is ratified by workers then Region 9 will inherit the STA Award in the form of a federal Enterprise Agreement. The union will have then avoided a two-tiered workplace and preserved conditions which are the two things members have consistently said they want.

______________________________

Region 7 bargaining After discussions with the union, Busways has agreed to try and negotiate a single agreement with

Page 12

around the Log of Claims along with Keolis Downer’s position for each claim. They have been categorised as follows: Agreed in-principle, rejected, further review and financial claim except for the last claim which is for “real” pay increases and will involve further discussion at the next a single set of conditions. This was after they had set up a two-tiered workplace. If we can come to a negotiated settlement by the end of the year, they have agreed to apply to have the Greenfield removed and the back-up EA annulled.

Busways has now issued the NERR (paperwork telling workers in region 7 about the bargaining process). This went out in the middle of February and means that we can now move forward with formal bargaining. A Log of Claims is being compiled after consultation with the members and the results of that will guide the union in what we fight for. The likely outcome here is somewhere in between the drag and drop in Regions 8 & 9, and the horror-show in Region 6. We should be able to preserve some conditions but not all.

The first bargaining meeting is set for Friday March 25th 2022.

______________________________

CMET organising

Workers in Canberra Trams are being organised in preparation for the negotiation of an Enterprise Agreement to replace the Greenfield Agreement currently in place.

CMET was caught up in the demarcation dispute between the

EA meeting. A full list of all items under negotiation and their status and categorisation can be found on Tram & Bus Express. Keolis Downer have toldthe Negotiating Committee that all financial claims will be considered

by Keolis Downer as part of any overall package offered.

RTBU & TWU which has since been settled. The Tram & Bus division is committed to ensuring that workers in CMET are given the servicing and attention the workplace deserves and moving forward to negotiate a positive outcome and better conditions.

______________________________

Region 6 negotiations

The RTBU & TWU continue our combined efforts to end the twotiered workplace set up by Transit Systems and the Liberal NSW government in the inner west of Sydney. After over 3 years of Transit Systems milking workers for every drop of profit they can, both unions have taken significant combined industrial action over the past 6 months. The company is holding to its line of maintaining the twotiered system while the unions are fighting for ‘Same Job, Same Pay’.

The next few months will bring more industrial action to try and pressure the company into genuinely negotiating instead of the refusing to entertain any compromise on important matters. Once again, the government has screwed over workers and it’s up to unions to try and fix it.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

General News The Language of the Rail Shut Down The views expressed below are those of the Editor, and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the NSW Branch of the RTBU. On Monday 21st February, with the smugly toned down his rhetoric bargaining process. At the same newly minted Minister for Employee by explaining it as ‘ a day of high time they ran the tired old ‘red flag’ Relations, Damien Tudehope emotion’. of unions, under the control of the leading the charge, he and Transport Labor Party, bringing the economy I would, however, echo the highly Minister David Elliott used a to its knees, as a nervous plea for charged words of the Minister, range of inflammatory language to their waning electoral fortunes. and describe the shut down in describe the shut down of the rail similarly strong and passionate Unfortunately, those same rogue system. They said in various media terms. The slight change required executives and their political engagements that it amounted to is to substitute ‘union’ with masters underestimated the integrity ‘industrial bastardry’, that it was ‘government’ and ‘rail executives’ of the RTBU and rail workers, and ‘cowardly’ and ‘unAustralian’, and in this narrative. The Minister and the ability of the broader public to that the shut down was a ‘terroristPremier, and friends were frantic see through their thinly disguised like activity’. Mr Elliott described in raising the anti-union, antilies. Another factor that these the unions claim that it was not Labor flags as Federal and State clowns have under-estimated is that on strike, and that workers were elections approach, but pulled a their private sector industrial heroes available for work as ‘bullshit’ and stunt that back-fired badly and did are not directly accountable to the ‘spin’. The sentiments were echoed irreparable harm to rail workers and voting public in the same ways as

by Premier Dominic Perrottet and commuters alike. If the shutdown they are.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and can be described as a ‘terrorist-like’ The only people who came out of his Federal cronies, as they piled on act, then we only have to look to this disgraceful mess with their their anti-union hysteria. rogue transport executives as the honour intact, were the NSW The following day, and in the ‘masterminds’, feebly attempting to Secretary of the RTBU, Alex days that have followed, with egg imitate their private sector heroes, Claassens and the RTBU leadership, and shame on their face, neither in pulling a dangerous stunt to union delegates, union activists and Minister Tudehope or Elliott, or attempt to deceive the Fair Work members who remained resolutely the Premier has apologised for this Commission into ordering a halt honest and strong in the face of this language or for getting the facts so to industrial action, and potentially vile barrage of attacks. horribly wrong, Mr Elliott simply cancelling the enterprise agreement

TRAM & BUS EXPRESS Get on the TRAM & BUS EXPRESS Tram and Bus Express is constantly updated with new information from around the depots – including workplace disputes, industry updates and news about RTBU Members.

Members who subscribe to the web site get a fortnightly email with links to all the latest scoops. Printed newsletters will also be distributed around depots.

tramandbusexpress.com.au RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Page 13

Government planned for Sydney train shutdown days before it occurred A range of media reports have claimed that senior government officials canvassed the possibility of shutting down Sydney’s rail network days before it happened on Monday 21st February, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

As the fallout from the 24hour shutdown continued to engulf the Perrottet government, documents released by the Fair Work Commission on Thursday 24 February reveal the extent of preparatory work the government was carrying out on the possibility of a network suspension.

The thousands of pages of transcripts and affidavits released by the Commission reveal the possibility of a shutdown had been widely shared within various government departments The Department of Communities and Justice, the Department of Education and the Department of Health also provided affidavits to the Commission on the impacts of industrial action, including a possible two-week shutdown.

The revelations prompted the NSW opposition to call for the resignation of Transport Minister David Elliott, who has insisted he was not made aware of the stoppage of Sydney’s rail network until after the decision was made.

As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald (24/2/2022) an affidavit from a senior Sydney Trains executive reveals that on Thursday 17/2/2022 the rail operator’s senior leadership “made the decision that the rail network could not be operated for the two-week period” from Monday if the entire fortnight of protected industrial action took place.

“Sydney Trains has assessed the risk associated with the industrial action and concluded that the rail network

cannot be operated for the two-week period commencing on 21 February 2022,” he said.

It was reported that Sydney Trains’ leadership formed the view a day after a risk assessment was completed of the impact of the planned industrial action.

The government has maintained that the decision to shut down the network was made around midnight on the Sunday by Sydney Trains Chief Executive Matt Longland.

NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said it was unbelievable that the Transport Minister could not have been made aware of the possibility of a network-wide stoppage, given so many government departments and bureaucrats knew.

Mr Minns earlier questioned Premier Dominic Perrottet about whether it was plausible he did not know about Sydney Trains decision to shut the rail network.

Under fire in Parliament, Mr Elliott said assessments were completed to ensure that “any potential

contingency” was addressed. “Every time a government department faces a dilemma... they do assessments to address all contingencies,” he said.

Later, a spokesman for Mr Elliott said the Minister was not made aware of any preparatory work being done in regard to a shutdown of the rail network.

A spokesman for the Premier said he was not told of any preparatory work.

It was also reported in the Guardian (24/2/2022) that Opposition Leader Chris Minns called for Elliott to be sacked from the Ministry.

“David Elliot has to go,” he said.

“All of these people all over the NSW government knew about a two week stoppage, but the Transport Minister himself had absolutely no idea.

“At the very least, he’s an incompetent minister, not in charge of his portfolio.”

He also questioned how it was possible that Premier Perrottet did not know of the looming shutdown.

www.locoexpress.com.au Page 14

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

RTBU National Secretary fires off at Scott Morrison over Sydney Trains ‘lies’ National RTBU Secretary Mark Diamond has called on Scott Morrison to offer an official apology following the Sydney trains fiasco on 21st February.

Commuters were left stranded at a moment’s notice on the Monday morning of 21 February after the snap decision to halt all trains across the city. Services resumed on Tuesday, with commuters “packed like sardines” across Sydney as trains arrived at stations in half-hour intervals.

The NSW Government has since spectacularly dropped all its claims against the Rail, Tram and Bus Union in the Fair Work Commission, after the Union requested to see a copy of the ‘risk assessment’ used to justify shutting down the rail network on Monday 21 February.

The NSW Government had dragged the RTBU into the Fair Work Commission late the previous week – prior to it shutting down the rail network - in an attempt to stop workers from taking low-level protected industrial action that would have impacted management, rather

doing the f o d n o f You’re oose a h c o S . g n i right th es that o d t a h t k ban

than commuters. The protected industrial action is a response to the NSW Government’s refusal to listen to workers’ concerns as part of current enterprise agreement negotiations.

“It is now clear that the decision to shut down the Sydney train network had nothing to do with rail workers.

It is up to the NSW Government to explain how and why that decision was made,” Mark Diamond said in a media release on Tuesday afternoon of 22 February, accusing both the media and the Prime Minister, who was quick to use the situation to bash the Labor Party and unions, of spreading a false narrative.

“For the past two days, Sydney Trains workers have copped abuse from stranded commuters on platforms and on social media because people wrongly believed the cancellation of rail services was due to a union strike.”

That belief was fuelled by false statements made on 2GB and

repeated at a nationally-televised media conference by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“Scott Morrison lied about a nonexistent strike to score cheap political points. That lie compounded the anxiety and stress being felt by millions of people in Sydney.”

Mr Diamond said it was “utterly bizarre” Sydney Trains workers were being accused of taking strike action.

“Strikes are a legitimate industrial tool for workers, but we never take strike action lightly. To be accused of taking strike action, when our members were doing no such thing, was utterly bizarre,” he said.

“If Scott Morrison has any decency whatsoever, he will apologise to Sydney Trains workers for his brazen lie. I am happy to take Mr Morrison for a tour of Sydney Trains depots so that he can deliver his apology in person.”

Our purpose is to provide Australians who want ethical financial services with a bank that aligns with their values.

We provide banking services for humans and social needs as opposed to corporate speculative gain.

Scan the QR Code for details of your Relationship Manager

• • • • • • •

Home loans Car loans Personal loans Green loans Credit cards Visa debit cards Budgeting tools

• • • • • •

Savings accounts Term deposits Business accounts Childrens account Financial planning1 Insurance2

All loan applications are subject to Australian Mutual Bank Ltd normal lending criteria. Fees and charges, terms and conditions apply and available on application. 1. Financial Planning provided by Bridges Financial Services Pty Limited (Bridges) ABN 60 003 474 977. ASX participant. AFSL 240837. Part of the IOOF group. 2. General Insurance issued by Insurance Australia Limited ABN 11 000 016 722 AFSL 227681 trading as CGU Insurance.

Australian Mutual Bank Ltd ABN 93 087 650 726 may receive commissions from an insurer when we arrange an insurance product. Any advice or information does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and you should consider whether it is appropriate for you. Please review our Terms and Conditions of Use and Financial Services Guide at www.australianmutual.bank before acquiring the product.

Australian Mutual Bank Ltd ABN 93 087 650 726 Australian credit licence 236476, AFSL 236476.

Proudly helping Australians get the most out of their Banking since 1953.

Ministers’ commitment on the NIF and further industrial action Arising from the commitments given by the Transport Minister, on Thursday 10 February we sought confirmation on his commitment regarding the NIF. Specifically, we asked for platform at all times.

Minister, we will inform members confirmation that his commitment accordingly.

Mandated procedures on the meant: following: Further industrial action for Train The Agreement (or Agreements) will Crew 1. Station Staff or On-Board contain a term prohibiting the use of Repeater’s ability to indicate to the Drivers and Guards delegates held Driver Only Operations.

Guard both visually and audibly meetings and endorsed a new suite Enable the crew cab door to open as that it is safe to commence the of actions commencing from 21 the train is arriving at the platform departure process.

February 2022 and running for a full and remain open as the train departs fortnight. These actions are: 2. The Guard to be the primary source the platform. of accountability for the departure • Continuing the Overtime Ban Reposition the bell and passenger process.

• Continuing the Foreign Depot door controls to the crew cab door 3. The Guard is to visually and working ban Train Crew will not to allow the Guard to supervise the audibly manage the platform train accept altered working boarding and alighting process and interface.

• Train Crew to sign on and off at provide an “Absolute Right of Way”.

4. CCTV screens in drivers cab to be their appointed Home Depot.

Move the CCTV monitors in the crew turned off, at all time.

• Train Crew to not accept any change cabs to allow them to be used as an No inward facing in-cab camera will to their current Master Roster Train aide for the Guard in the departure be operative in the crew cabs.

Crew will not accept transpositions process while standing at the open slips We also sought confirmation that this crew cab door, and to ensure the commitment had equal application • Regional Drivers will not accept Driver is not distracted while driving to the New Regional Fleet (NRF) changes to current timetabled the train. project given the reference to stopping patterns Alteration to infrastructure to ensure Passenger Service Supervisors (PSS). that the Guard is in a crew cab (not Once we receive a response from the the drivers crew cab) that is on the

Page 16

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

RTBU PLANS ELECTION BLITZ Transport issues to be front and centre in Federal election campaign The RTBU is planning a coordinated national campaign called Put Transport Back in the Fast Lane to make sure pollies take transport seriously during the upcoming federal election.

“We’ll be calling on politicians to back new projects for rail freight and public transport, and to support the growth of good secure jobs in the transport sector.”

National Secretary Mark Diamond said transport should be one of the top issues for voters right around the country.

Mark said the campaign would be built on grass-roots activism, with local teams getting out in their communities. Election candidates will be invited to sign the ‘Fast Lane pledge’, and voters will be told which candidates have signed up - and which ones haven’t.

“While much of Australia was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s transport networks kept on going.

“But the reality is that many of those networks are slow, congested, and falling apart.

“That has an impact on the cost of living, on the amount of time people can spend with their families, and the health of the overall economy.

“The Federal election is likely to be very tight, and every vote will count.

“Politicians will be listening – so there’s no better time for the voices of transport workers and their families to be heard.”

The FAST LANE Pledge for Federal Candidates I pledge to support measures that lead to faster, safer and better passenger and freight transport networks across Australia, including:

» Building more trains, trams and buses in Australia;

» Increasing Federal invest-

ment in public transport to provide Australians with better access to services and reduce our transport-related greenhouse gas emissions;

» Developing a long-term

plan to grow jobs in the rail freight sector

» Better integration of rail,

rail, sea and air transport; and

» Ensuring people doing the same job have the same pay and same standards of workplace safety.

RTBU National Council Despite the limitations of ongoing travel restrictions, the RTBU National Council was held on 10 November, with over 50 Delegates in six meeting rooms across six states, and the remaining Delegates tuning in via video-link from their homes.

Delegates delivered 18 reports, heard three guest speakers and passed 45 motions in just six jam-packed hours.

RTBU Delegates from Queensland

Some of the highlights of National Council included:

» Confirmation of National

Office’s Operational Plan for 2022;

» Adopting rule changes to

confirm the amalgamation of the two Western Australian branches from 1 January 2023;

» Addresses from Shadow Minister for Industrial relations Tony Burke MP and ACTU Secretary Sally McManus;

» Approving a campaign strate-

gy for the forthcoming Federal election;

» Committing to campaign for

more Australian-made trains, trams and buses.

NSW RTBU Delegates to National Council

Speaking at the National Council, National Secretary Mark Diamond told Delegates that working people, on their own, were sitting ducks for powerful corporations and the financial elite.

“But when we act collectively, when we are united, and when we have each other’s back, we’re right in the game,” Mark said.

“The formation of the modern RTBU - from the amalgamation of the ARU, AFULE, ATMOEA and NUR – was all about leveraging our power and building a stronger voice for union members.

“Our predecessors had a vision, and determination, to better the lives of workers in the rail, tram and bus industries.

“Our mission, our sacred duty as custodians of this great trade union, is to deliver on that vision. To make it happen.”

You can find a link to the National Office Operation Plan and to a video of Mark’s Diamond’s opening address on the RTBU website at www.rtbu.org.au/ making it happen

… when we have each other’s back, we’re right in the game RTBU TRANSPORT NOW January 2022

Page 18

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

End of the Line for John Holland CRN In 2021 Transport for NSW decided to award the Country Rail Network (CRN) contract to UGL and will now be known as UGL Regional Linx. This contract, for the last ten years,was previously held by John Holland.

UGL have stated that they will predominantly be regional based at Orange and with a strong focus on indigenous employment. worked closely with our members transferring or exiting employment from John Holland.

End of the line for the JH CRN Nyngan Depot , Members getting the details from Matt Jones John Holland General Manager.

John Holland: Some interesting facts of the past ten years Railway lines managed 2470 kilometres of operational on the CRN and more than 3000 kilometres of non operational rail line CRN assets managed

by John Holland

more than 99,000 CRN assets managed across agriculture and service civil and structures property signalling and control systems tech and techno systems and track access

Freight lifted onto the network every year

About 8.56 million tonnes are lifted 30% flour and wheat 29% mining

Employees and contractors that have worked on the CRN over the past 10 years

more than 2250 employees and contractors

rail sleepers installed

1,358,726 steel and concrete sleepers installed

Bridges replaced

45 over and under bridges replaced

Vegetation control

more than 20,000 kilometres of vegetation maintained in the rail corridor

GET YOUR UNION NEWS Need to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in your union, need to know more about how fellow members are fighting for workers’ rights and winning battles on a daily basis make sure you grab your next edition of Rail and Road, or check out the rtbuexpress.com.au

Infrastructure members at ARTC Maitland keeping up to date with the Rail and Road.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Page 19

Secure Jobs – Worth Fighting For

Workers from a range of industries rallied in Cessnock on Saturday 19 February, having their say on the negative impacts of insecure work and casualisation.

“All industries today are affected by insecure work in one form or another,” Hunter Workers secretary Leigh Shears said at the rally.

“Crucially we are calling for same job same pay, a proper definition of casual employment, the real opportunity for workers to convert from casual employment to permanent employment and industrywide bargaining for workers that are in satellite workplaces.

“We’ve seen over the last nine years that there’s no willingness from this government to make any meaningful change and they actually project things to get worse.”

Representatives from the Mining and Energy Union (MEU), Health Services Union (HSU), National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) spoke at the rally, along with Labor Senator Tony Sheldon and Hunter candidate Daniel Repacholi.

Speakers outlined how job insecurity is impacting workplace standards across a range of industries.

Health workers spoke about a dire situation in aged care, citing the negative effect inadequate pay and job insecurity has on care quality and resident wellbeing.

Mining and Energy Union acting president, Robin Williams, said a common scene in the Hunter is to have a labour-hire employee working alongside a permanent coal miner doing this same job but earning “30 to 40 per cent less” with no entitlements.

“That can be a difference of $40 thousand to $50 thousands dollars a year. So we are not talking about small amounts of money,” Mr Williams said.

The rally comes following a final report by the Senate Select Committee on Job Security released on 18 February, which found job insecurity in Australia had reached “a crisis point”.

Labor Senator Tony Sheldon, who chaired the senate committee,

Page 20

addressed the rally on Saturday.

“We are going to be the first generation to pass on to our kids worse conditions than what our parents passed on to us,” Mr Sheldon said.

“The inquiry found more than 50 per cent of Australians working do not have permanent full time jobs for the first time in our history.”

The report found that job insecurity is damaging the physical and mental health of Australian workers, and it is holding back Australian wages and the Australian economy.

That is the inescapable conclusion of the Senate Select Committee on Job Security, after 230 submissions, 26 public hearings, six in-camera sessions, three interim reports, and responses to almost 1000 questions on notice.

The foreward to the report cited that within a decade of launching in Australia, Uber has become the second largest employer in the country—although its workers are solely engaged as independent contractors, without access to basic rights including the national minimum wage, superannuation, or workers’ compensation.

“The scope of the job insecurity crisis in Australia is breathtaking. It affects men and women, older and younger workers, migrants and nonmigrants, and white- and blue-collar workers alike. There is no segment of the Australian workforce insulated from insecure work.” the report found’ Other studies submitted to the inquiry found that casual workers are seven times more likely, and fixed-term

National Organiser Leanne Holmes and Newcastle Organiser, and newly elected Mayor of Cessnock, Jay Suvaal, at the Hunter Rally contract workers 11 times more likely, to report unwanted sexual advances at work. These findings echo the recent Respect@Work report, which similarly found that people in insecure or precarious work may be more likely to experience sexual harassment in the workplace.

This evidence demonstrates job insecurity is not just an industrial or workplace issue, it is a public health issue. Job insecurity is also an economic issue. The committee does not believe it is a coincidence that the steep rise in job insecurity has occurred alongside eight years of record low wage growth.

Australians in insecure work often do not have the bargaining power to obtain wage increases. Through the use of labour hire intermediaries, gig platforms and dependent contracting, many insecure workers do not even have access to bargaining with their true employer.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

RTBU supports NSW nurses RTBU support NSW nurses and midwives in protest over pay and work conditions during COVID-19 pandemic.

RTBU members and activists attended rallies in Sydney and regional centres in support of the thousands of nurses and midwives who walked off the job in NSW on Tuesday 15th February in protest against staffing levels that they say have pushed an already stretched system to its limit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staff travelled from across Sydney and beyond to march through the city’s CBD to Parliament House with rallies also taking place in regional parts of NSW. The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association defied an order issued on Monday by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to call off the industrial action.

The intervention came after the NSW government took the matter to the IRC, arguing that the planned strike would disrupt health services across the state.

The union had organised for a skeleton staff to remain on duty to ensure the sickest patients were cared for.

Speaking this morning, nurse Kathy Triggol said health workers “deserve better”.

“Most of the time, the staff are overworked and stressed and it’s just not fair. We don’t ask for much, we’re asking for it to be fair,” she said.

Kathy Triggol is among the nurses striking in Sydney.

(ABC News: Jake Lapham) She said the last few years had been “dreadful” with many wards short-staffed.

“It’s gotten to the stage that every hospital is the same,” Ms Triggol said.

“We’re talking about nurses in the ICU and emergency department who can’t even stop to go to the toilet. It’s just ridiculous.”

Thousands of nurses have marched to Parliament House in Sydney.(ABC News: Tim Swanston)

Striking nurses in Sydney marched through the CBD. (ABC News: Tim Swanston) The NSW government said strike action would cause disruptions and delays to health services. (ABC News: Tim Swanston) Crisis talks between the nurses union and Health Minister Brad Hazzard a day before the stoppage failed to resolve the stalemate in negotiations over pay and staffing levels in hospitals.

The Nurses and Midwives’ Association said the intervention came too late as members across the state had already voted to strike, and they needed to “stand tall” to express their frustrations.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Striking nurses listen to a speech outside Parliament House.(ABC News: Tim Swanston)

Page 21

Wollongong midwife Emma Gedge boarded a bus to Sydney this morning along with 150 colleagues.

“We’re drowning...we’ve been drowning for a long time and COVID has really just pressed that point home that this health system is just not working,” she said.

“As nurses and midwives, we don’t walk away from our patients lightly and this really rips our heart out to have to do this.”

Nurses and midwives from Wollongong Hospital boarded buses to Sydney to protest at state parliament.

(ABC News: Fatima Olumee) In Orange, in the state’s central west, about 60 nurses marched up the main street where a crowd watched on and motorists honked their support.

Nurses are striking right across NSW, including in Orange in the state’s central west.(ABC Central West: Mollie Gorman)

Midwife Sarah Anderson addresses striking nurses at Bega’s Littleton Gardens.(ABC South East: Adriane Reardon)

Page 22

On the state’s south coast, about 200 nurses rallied in Bega’s Littleton Gardens.

Nurses in different districts chose to strike for between four and 24 hours, with the union saying that timings had been staggered to lessen disruption for patients.

Skeleton staff have remained to treat critically unwell patients and preserve life.

A nurse addresses protesters in Lismore, NSW.(ABC North Coast: Bronwyn Herbert)

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the protesters are calling for pay rises and legislated staff-to-patient ratios, similar to those in Queensland and Victoria.

The union said the changes were needed to prevent a further loss of qualified health professionals.

A nurse dressed in full PPE attends the rally in Sydney.

(ABC News: Tim Swanston)

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Rail workers call on govt to rip up New Regional Fleet contract amid safety fears In December rail workers called on the NSW Government to tear up the contract it has signed with a Spanish company to manufacture a new fleet of trains to run throughout regional NSW. The Spanish company is the same company responsible for the inner-west trams, which are currently all off the tracks as a result of cracking throughout the fleet. The trams are out of warranty, which could mean taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for the repairs. Similar issues have been found in the company’s trams worldwide.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens, said for the NSW Government to push ahead with the contract for the New Regional Fleet in the face of worker concerns and in the wake of the light rail issues would be irresponsible at best.

“The NSW Government needs to put a hold on all overseas manufacturing contracts,” Mr Claassens said.

“Workers have had grave safety concerns about these new trains even before we knew about the company’s shocking track-record.

“The New Regional Fleet is designed to be built in such a way that the front carriage would be at real risk of derailment if it hits anything like a fallen tree or an animal on the tracks. That’s a serious concern given

that in Australia, particularly regional Australia, hitting things on our tracks is commonplace.”

The RTBU understands that the NSW Government has signed a contract with the Spanish company, but the final design has not been signed off yet.

“This NSW Government’s track record when it comes to transport management is getting beyond a joke. They’ve purchased trains that require massive infrastructure alterations, blown billions on a poorly managed light rail build, they’ve got a new fleet of trains sitting idle because they’re too unsafe to operate and now they’re looking at having to fork out huge amounts of money to fix the inner-west light rail.

“Now they want to buy another fleet of trains from overseas from a manufacturer already proven to deliver questionable rolling stock.

“It’s time the NSW Government implemented a quota on Australian built infrastructure and started putting commuter and worker safety first.”

Your Voice in Parliament

The RTBU recently appeared before two NSW Parliamentary inquiries to protect your rights at work.

Coronial Jurisdiction – stopping the repeated trauma Following a serious accident or incident, members have told us that they are routinely subjected to the re-telling of events as investigators, police and coronial inquiries carry out their work.

This re-living and re-telling has the potential to traumatise workers, exposing them to the risk of psychological injury or illness.

To minimize this risk, your union recommended that names of witnesses required to appear before coronial inquiries are suppressed to protect their identity and their families. We also recommended that witnesses are only required to provide a single statement where a fatality has occurred.

We further recommended that investigators be appropriately trained in the Rail Safety regulations and network rules,

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

together with limiting drug and alcohol testing to a single test at time of incident.

The Committee was very receptive to our recommendations and asked several questions, of which two are on notice for the RTBU to provide further information.

We are hopeful that this will lead to a better outcome for our members who face extreme trauma as part of their duties on many occasions.

Workers Compensation proposed amendments A Government Bill to amend the Workers Compensation Act seeks to remove protections for essential workers who contract COVID-19 in the course of their employment.

If passed, employees will have to demonstrate that they contracted COVID at their workplace to make a workers compensation claim.

Opposing the amendments, the RTBU made written submissions to

the inquiry and was invited to give evidence during a one day hearing held 2 February 2022 via video link.

The RTBU was joined by several other unions in telling members of parliament that our members, as essential workers, have turned up to work each and every day throughout the pandemic, when other workers could safely work from home, so that the state could still keep moving.

To rip away the presumptions that protect you, will mean that you and your co-workers will have to prove infection occurred because of work.

We know that this task will be almost impossible to demonstrate, leaving infected members and their families to once again fall victim to the Liberal-Coalition government’s attacks on the workers compensation scheme in NSW.

Page 23

PAID DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE SAVES LIVES Five cents a day per worker: that’s all it would cost employers for 10 days’ family and domestic violence leave to be implemented across Australia.

The figure was a key statistic raised during a Hunter Workers rally at Newcastle’s Civic Park in December to mark the end of its 16 Days of Activism campaign and its call for paid family and domestic violence leave.

Attendees at the rally heard from speakers including Newcastle Federal MP Sharon Claydon, community sector worker Teanile Grant, Hunter Worker’s secretary Leigh Shears, and RTBU Vice President Leanne Holmes.

Leanne, who also chairs Hunter Workers’ women’s committee, says that, on average, one woman is killed in Australia every week as a result of intimate-partner violence.

The financial cost of escaping that violence is estimated to be around $18,000, which is out of reach of most women at that critical time.

Leanne said being able to hold down a job is vital for domestic violence victims, as many women are forced to return to their abuser if they can’t financially support themselves.

“Paid family and domestic violence leave literally saves lives,” Leanne said.

“Within our union we actively bargain for paid family and domestic violence

STOP PRESS

The RTBU and other unions negotiating to get a number are of domestic violence-related pro visions included in the new Trains and NSW Trains EnSydney terprise Agreement.

These provisions include:

» 10 days of paid domestic

and family violence leave and the support of a nominated person at work;

» a requirement for em-

ployers to regularly check the employee’s electronic devices have not been installed with any tracking, listening or other surveillance devices; and » training and counselling on gendered violence in the workplace to be provided to all new employees.

escaping. But doing nothing often leaves them trapped. leave in our enterprise agreements, and we and other unions have been quite successful.

“But we are asking the Federal Government to put it in the National Employment Standards, so all workers have access to 10 day’s paid leave.

It would be very inexpensive and wouldn’t cost employers much – a mere 5 cents per worker per day.”

Leanne said that providing survivors with direct support through their employer, in the form paid leave, increases their chances of holding down their job long-term and successfully

“For women in this situation, their job is the first thing to go,” Leanne said. “They are forced to use up their sick leave, any other leave they have, then they lose their job.

“Then, not only do they end up with no income, they are often forced to stay with the abuser.

“Ten days’ paid leave would give them a buffer. It would give them the time to move out, go to court, and deal with all the other stuff.

“And not only does it mean they continue in meaningful employment, it also means the business will retain qualified and skilled workers.”

(from RTBU TRANSPORT NOW, January 2022)

Page 24

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Whistlestop End of an Era On Saturday 22nd January RTBU officials Alex Claassens, Craig Turner and Life Member Mick Cartwright had the pleasure of attending a retirement function in the Southern Highlands. It was a celebration for four RTBU Members Ian Fagan, Paul Daly, Graeme Bond and Bill Higgins who between them gave 168 years of service to rail and the community.

A large number of both current and retired workmates attended the function at Moss Vale Services Club. Some magnificent stories about the good times shared in the old railway surfaced as more liquids were consumed. It was great to see the families of these four gentleman share In the celebration, as we all know the backbone of the railway worker Is their family. A big shout goes to Kevin Andrews who organised such a great day.

Ian Fagan, Mick Cartwright, Paul Daly, Graeme Bond, Alex Claassens, Bill Higgins, Craig Turner

Bidding a fond farewell to Kenny Lewis heading into retirement Congratulations to Kenny Lewis, who has retired as a Train Service Delivery Manager (TSDM) after over 50 years of service, and with Kenny’s retirement representing the last family member to work for the railways.

The hallmark of any career you can be proud of is when the news of your retirement is bittersweet to those around you, and this is reflective of the impact when the news of Kenny’s retirement was received by us all. Kenny Lewis was a proud railway worker who initially joined the ARU, which evolved into the RTBU after the amalgamation, where his dedication and commitment to the railways and assisting the membership was without fear or favour and will be sadly missed in all areas where Kenny worked.

Kenny’s career commenced in 1970 when he started as a Junior Station Assistant at Panania, where he joined the ARU. Kenny was rapidly appointed as a Junior Clerk at Riverwood. Kenny recalls his first day on the job, where within minutes of commencing his shift, he picked up the receiver of the Circuit phone and was quickly informed of his error as it was a vital “Train working” implement. Approximately 12 months later, Kenny took up working in the Station Masters Sydney office as a Junior Clerk.

Kenny progressed through various roles in the railways, with his final position being TSDM. Kenny was a union delegate for about 12 years and was always willing to go above and beyond to aid members and always had members’ backs when the going got tough and remains part of the legacy Kenny leaves. In addition, Kenny was also part of improving the relationship between Signallers and Train Controllers, sharing the union value of solidarity. However, Kenny recalled that one of the most satisfying victories was winning the “Table Person” position during the Train Controllers’ restructure to TSDM. On 7 January 2022, colleagues gathered to have a farewell to celebrate Kenny’s retirement with him and to share their stories from the past. To Kenny, we say thank you for all your dedication to the membership; your actions will be long remembered. We hope you will be able to follow your passion for travel again in the near future, Solidarnosc.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Page 25

Mico Baric: We bid Farewell Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart, and this resonates with Mico Baric, who was husband, father, friend, workmate, and great unionist to which it is with great sadness that the RTBU has to say farewell.

Mico had a big heart and never hesitated to lend a hand while always wanting to have a good time and stir the pot while having a giggle on the side.

Mico was passionate and incredibly proud of his family, to which he was always willing to share and extended to how his children had completed their studies and how successful they had become in their roles at work.

Mico’s passion also extended to the beautiful orchids he spent hours with, resulting in magnificent flowers.

There was no job too hard for Mico, which he regularly demonstrated, from performing servicing his car and house repairs to teaching all the techs at work how to fix the trains.

Mico commenced his railway career in 1981 at Enfield Yard but soon moved to Sydney Yard in the late ’80s, progressing to head shunter at ACDEP after moving to Meeks Road, finishing in Eveleigh 2002 as a Senior Shunter.

During this time, Mico developed long friendships, and for those who worked with him, they will remember sitting down in the shunter humpy with a coffee that Mico has brewed up and accompanied by beautiful homemade biscuits, which he was proud to share.

To quote Adrian Mercieca, who shared a memory of when he met Mico in 98, recalled Mico being quick to let Adrian know Mico was the master, and Adrian was the apprentice.

Mico was known to speak honestly and what he thought regardless of status, which was always appreciated and valued.

In recognition of friendship and the loss, Mico’s workmates visited Mico’s family presenting $1065 they collected to be used as a donation for a charity that was close to Mico’s heart and in his name, in addition to presenting a model Xplorer train which proudly displays Mico’s name.

Eveleigh and the remainder of the railways won’t be the same without Mico, and he will always be remembered and missed.

Page 26

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

A tribute to Greg Price from all his mates at the Rail Tram and Bus Union Greg Price is a legend in the Rail Tram and Bus union and will long be celebrated for his hard work and all the achievements he fought and won for his members. Greg’s legacy will live on through the RTBU and the great Trades Hall in Goulburn Street Sydney.

His work mates like Mick Bindley and others, who worked closely with Greg recalled some very fond memories.

They spoke about his great passion - he was so passionate it wasn’t funny and whatever he could get his teeth into he would. Greg was described as being like a terrier dog with a bone and he would never let go the bone and stay on an issue until the members won.

Greg never said no to anyone who asked him to do something to help, regardless how big or small.

They recalled some of the amazing achievements he won for the members over the years, he fought to get improved heaters in the crew cabs because in winter it could get down to zero degrees and it was like being in an igloo. In summer it could get to 47 degrees, and it was like being in an oven, so Greg argued to get the air conditioning improved. They also recalled other things Greg won on their behalf during EBA negotiations such as better pay and improved meal rooms. He also got the members the basic facilities like a kettle and water jugs for the Endeavor and Explorers’ trains. Greg also got new and improved walkways at Moss Vale for the members to use to get down to the yard.

Greg commenced his career at Enfield Rail in 1970. He was so passionate about trains and after getting a job on the railway he could live his passion.

His cousins recalled that if you went for a Sunday drive with Greg you would end up on a train or a rail museum Not long after Greg started he became very active around issues that his work colleagues were raising and not long after that, became the union representative.

Greg held several positions for the union during the years starting as a delegate and soon moved up the ranks to take on various roles of president and secretary.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Greg transferred to Port Kembla 1982 and then moved to Wollongong in 1990.

He was the representative from the South Coast on the Locomotive Divisional Council. Then he transferred to Moss Vale in 2002.

In 2011 Greg retired from the job, however he never retired from the cause of improving the lives of working people and in the Goulburn community.

He helped several unions with their campaigns to stop the closure of Burke Street and the privatisation of Goulburn Hospital. He helped nurses with their ratio campaigns and everyone else with their campaigns. It did not matter what the campaign was, Greg would be there and he was always active and staunch.

Greg put in 41 years of his life as dedicated service for the locomotive division union members and achieved many great improvements for members.

Greg lost his father when he was very young and he became so close to his mother and chose to look after her and they had many fun years together. They both loved buying and selling houses and his friends and family would be forever updating their Christmas cards list with Greg’s new address. While his mum loved to renovate the kitchen Greg always looked for a great shed where he could do up his vintage train collection some of which were over 100 years.

Greg also was passionate about vintage cars especially thunderbirds and Wolseley’s he would drive them hard and fast. Always driving miles and across the state, keen to get a spare part.

Mary Yaager from Unions NSW recalls Even the last conversation I had with Greg just days before he passed, he was thinking about others and hoping Jason Sheppard would get on the council because he would do great things for the region. I also want to acknowledge and thank Anna Worth, and Jason for all the support and how they cared for Greg in his last days. They were just wonderful.

At his funeral the Celebrant ,Paul Young found a wonderful poem to farewell Greg and we know he would have been looking down and smiling as

it was read out.

Greg Price Memorial Poem 17 November 2021 Life is like a journey on a train… with its stations… with changes of routes… and with accidents!

At birth we board the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side.

However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone.

As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e., our siblings, friends, children and even the love of our life.

Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum.

Others will go so unnoticed that we don’t realize that they vacated their seats!

This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells.

Success consists of having a good relationship with all the passengers… requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down.

So, we must live in the best way – love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are.

It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty – We should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.

I wish you a joyful journey for the coming year on the train of life.

Reap success and give lots of love.

Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers on my train!

Page 27

Farewell Danny Bolan 7/2/1964 – 22/1/2022 The following is an edited eulogy delivered by Danny’s colleague and good mate David Aspinall Danny Bolan was born on the 7th of February 1964 to his parents Tom and Maureen Bolan. He was the youngest of three brothers, Chris being the oldest and Tony. Danny and his brothers grew up in the Paramatta area and went to school at Marist Brothers at Paramatta.

Danny started with the Railways as an apprentice Blacksmith in 1980, worked through his apprenticeship and finished as a qualified Tradesman based at Wagon Maintenance Centre at Clyde in 1984. I also became an apprentice Blacksmith in January of 1983 and after working a year at the Apprentice Training College at Chullora, my first workshop rotation was at WMC Clyde where Danny and I met.

Danny and I had a rapport right from the start, we both loved working in the Blacksmith Trade, we both enjoyed working around the trains, we were similar in our personality with a similar sense of humour and most importantly we both loved working on and driving our Ford Falcon V8s. Mine was a 1975 Orange and Black Sedan and Danny owned a Blue 1978 2 Door Coupe like the car Mel Gibson Drives in the movie Mad Max 2, one of Danny’s favourite movies.

Danny and I would often get together with friends after work and one of our favourite haunts was Millers Pub in Wentworthville, we would gather to drink, socialise, play 8 ball pool and listen to Kenny Rogers songs on the juke box. We would often get together on weekends to work on our cars and I would try not to laugh when a frustrated Danny would launch a tirade of profanity and spanners and sockets would come flying out from under his car.

Patience came hard to my friend, but his temper would come off the boil quick enough and he had perseverance in abundance.

We would often test drive our cars when the work was finished and this could take us to places like Junee, Parkes, Murrundi and even, silly as it sounds, Hexam for a milk shake at

Page 28

the Oak Factory. Danny and I saw a lot of the NSW countryside, and this shows how much we enjoyed each other’s company. During the 80’s and the early 90’s I went to the Bathurst car races 9 times and I know that Danny was there for 7 of them.

In 1987 I had become a tradesman at a workshop called STS1 at Chullora, but with the outsourcing of Railway work that shop was earmarked for closure. Being the junior tradesman, I was one of the first to be redeployed, so I ended up as an engineman at Enfield’s DELEC Depot working on the freight trains. Danny saw the writing on the wall for Clyde and three months later joined me at DELEC. Danny and I took to the Driving like ducks to water, though the shift work didn’t allow us to socialise as much as we had in the past. We still managed to participate in activities together.

During the end of 1987 Danny and I went on a 10 Day cruise on the Fairstar, we visited the isle of Pines, Noumea, the Honiara Passage and Port Vila. One of the things I remember about the trip is we were chased around the Coral Sea by not 1 but 3 Cyclones, most of the passengers where sick, however Dan and I didn’t suffer from motion sickness and at one point during the voyage, 6 of us were sitting around a table, drinking and telling jokes for three hours solid. We kept about twenty hardy souls entertained including the bar staff. The boat as Danny and I called it ran so late coming back that they put us in at Brisbane and flew us back to Sydney from there. I think it was the first time Danny had been on a plane, so I let him sit at the window. No sooner had the plane left the ground, we found ourselves in the clouds, Danny asked what the flashing light on the end of the wing is for, I told him that it was so we could see that the wing is still attached to the plane. For the next ten seconds he looked at me wondering if I was serious, I wasn’t.

It was a clear night into Sydney, and I could see he was mesmerised by the view of the carpet of lights we travelled over as we descended into Sydney and we were on the left side

of the plane, so he got a good look at the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and the city as they went past.

Over the next several years we got together on many occasions when work commitments allowed us until one day in 1994 my friend had the look in his eye like he had won the lottery. I knew from the get-go that he had fallen in love and soon after I was introduced to Marcia. I could see my big mate was completely gone for this girl and from the look in her eyes she was taken with him.

Some in our circle of friends at the time felt that the fad would pass. But knowing Danny for his commitment and big heart he was certainly in this relationship for the long haul, and nothing gave me more pleasure than seeing my friend blissfully happy.

The very next year, Marcia was pregnant and Jamie, Danny’s first son came into the world.In 1996 Danny and Marcia got married and I had the honour of being Danny’s Best Man, I stood by my friend as he recited his vows with no doubt that Danny would commit heart and soul to his wife and their marriage.

With my friends passing I know I will miss his company; I will miss his conversation. But I believe that our lives are governed by our life experiences and the quality of the people we hold close to us. My Life is so much richer because Danny is a great part of it, and he will forever exist in my memories and forever in my soul.

Mate, it has been an honour and a privilege to know you all these years, you have two greens in front of you.

The guard has given the right-o-way.

It’s time to release the brakes and begin the final journey we all must take some day. God speed my friend and Farewell.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Holiday at the RTBU Jervis Bay Holiday Park

Treat your family to a relaxing holiday, enjoying the pristine waterways, flora and fauna, and tranquility of the Booderee National Park.

All RTBU members (as well as HSU and USU members) pay a discounted member rate. Nonmembers are able to book at the RTBU Holiday Park at a higher rate.

Information is available on our facebook page RTBU Holiday Park Jervis Bay, and all bookings are to be made through the union office.

Bookings are restricted on the basis of one unit per member (during summer holidays,.....for a minimum of one week and a maximum of two weeks from Saturday to Saturday).

Proof of membership will be required upon arrival.

For more information about the Holiday Park or any questions, please call the RTBU office on (02) 9264 2511 or email nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au.

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

Page 29

Fighting for the rights of Unions and their members for 85 years.

We fight to achieve the best outcomes for our clients, while reducing the stress they go through to obtain their compensation.

With our No Win. No Fee* offer for Personal Injury Law and a Free Initial Appointment**, you can afford access to the justice you deserve.

If you’ve been injured or suffered a loss, ask your Union for a referral to Slater and Gordon Lawyers.

Contact the RTBU Office about our exclusive Union member benefits *NWNF T&C’s: slatergordon.com.au/NWNF **Free appointment T&Cs: slatergordon.com.au/FIA

Join the RTBU Retired Members Association Many retired members continue to receive copies of the journal Rail & Road, and take an interest in the life of the union. Many have also said that they would like to maintain a closer connection and involvement with the work of the union. The RTBU Retired Members Association was established to provide a forum for former members to meet, work on campaigns, address issues of particular relevance for retirees and to identify ways of assisting, supporting and contributing to the work of the union.

It is expected that the Retired Members Association will function independently and pursue issues that it identifies as priorities.

If you are a retired member of our union, we would like you to consider joining the Retired Members Association. Membership forms are available from the RTBU Head Office, Level 4, 321 Pitt Street, Sydney or on the union website: www.rtbu-nsw.asn.au

For more information, contact Peter O’Connor the union office327 on 195 (02) 9264 2511 For more information, contact ChrisatDoyle on 0425

or the union office on (02) 9264 2511 Page 30 Page 14

RAIL & ROAD March 2022

raIL & rOaD June 2010

UNION HEALTH PUTTING MEMBERS FIRST. FREEZING PREMIUMS AGAIN.

I

its members at the heart of its policies and n recognition of the ongoing financial hardship facing many of its members, Union fees,” he said. “We’re entirely owned by our members, who trust us to put profits into Health is freezing premiums for six months. offering competitive products and services.”

Union Health will have handed back savings of $7.7 million to members while other funds’ Union Health’s track record of support saw the fund voted in the top two most trusted premiums will increase by up to 5.33% on private health providers in 2021 by Australia’s 1 April 2022. leading independent customer research CEO Rob Seljak said the move was made to agency, IPSOS Public Affairs. ease financial pressure for consumers.

“We’re freezing premiums until 30 September 2022 in recognition of the impacts of the pandemic. The premium freeze decision follows our 2020 multimillion-dollar COVID relief package, which included a zero increase, benefits for telehealth services and wellbeing checks for vulnerable members.

“It’s a timely reminder before the price hikes on 1 April to check your provider has

Scan the QR code to find out more about Union Health today.

*T&Cs apply. 8 weeks free offer includes 4 weeks now, 4 weeks later. *Union Health is brought to you by TUH Health Fund (TUH), proudly serving Australian union members and their families for 50 years. TUH voted top 2 most trusted health providers, IPSOS Health Care & Insurance Australia 2021.

PUTTING YOU FIRST. FREEZING PREMIUMS AGAIN. Join before April 30 and get 8 WEEKS FREE*

1300 661 283 | unionhealth.com.au/partner-rtbu

RTBU Holiday Park at Jervis Bay RTBU Members can also take advantage of the United Services Union’s Riverside Resort at Port Macquarie The RTBU and USU have a reciprocal arrangement where members of each union can book holidays at the two locations, at member discounted rates.

The USU owns the Riverside resort, in a glorious location on the Hastings River at Port Macquarie on the north coast of New South Wales. The resort consists of a Motel and a Caravan Park.

Stay in comfort at the holiday resort and enjoy great discounts and great style while relaxing in what many say is the best climate in Australia.

No matter what type of holiday you are after your needs are covered. Lots to do any time of the year! There are a lot of attractions in the area for you and your family – have a great game of Putt-Putt golf or try Jet boating, Parra Sailing, Waterslides, Wave Bowling & Lawn Bowls which are all within walking distance. And don’t forget the fishing! Please note – there are no tent sites at the Port Macquarie Caravan Park.

You can contact the motel or caravan park by calling the Riverside Resort on 02 65849155 or check the website at www.riversideresortatport.com.au You can also call the United Services Union’s Head Offi ce on 02 9265 8211 for more information.

Members must provide proof of identity plus their RTBU membership card at the time of arrival at United Services Union Jervis Bay or Port Macquarie or full rates will apply.

Located in the Booderee National Park, the RTBU Holiday Park at Jervis Bay, is just a 3 hour drive south from Sydney, but a world away…

Each of the 14 self-contained cabins sleep up to a maximum of 6 people.

Cabins have a queen sized bed, two single beds and a set of double bunks.

You will need to bring your own sheets as only mattress protectors, quilts and pillows are supplied.

The cabins contain a digital television, an oven, microwave, fridge, crockery, cutlery, glassware, pots and pans as well as basic cooking utensils. Make sure you come prepared as the closest grocery shop is in Vincentia, a 30 minute drive away.

The RTBU Holiday Park facilities available to all guests include a Boat Ramp, Undercover Bar-B-Q area with seating, Tennis Court and a Coin Operated Laundry.

There are various swimming spots to enjoy and natural areas to explore, suitable for all the family.

Kangaroos, possums, wallabies, kookaburras, bandicoots, echidnas and rosellas visit the grounds of the Holiday Park daily.

Enjoy fishing for whiting, flathead and bream from the calm shores or take a quick walk to experience beach fishing for tailor and salmon on the pristine Bherwerre Beach.

Bookings can be made by telephoning the RTBU Office on (02) 9264 2511.

Booderee National Park & Bherwerre Beach

Like Us on Facebook at

www.facebook. com/RTBUNSW

Page 32

In the Dhurga language, Booderee means “Bay of Plenty” and the area is the home to the people of Wreck Bay. The Booderee National Park has the only Aboriginal owned Botanic Garden in Australia. The gardens are well known for providing a centre for interpreting plants used by the local aboriginal people.

The Park is also home to 200 species of birds, over 30 different native mammals including 10 species of bats, 37 reptiles, 17 amphibians and at least 180 species of fish.

The White-Bellied Sea Eagle is a special bird at Booderee as it is the guardian of the Koori people of Wreck Bay and features on the Booderee National Park logo.

Within the Booderee National Park you will find beautiful white sandy beaches at Green Patch, Murrays, Steamers, Caves and Bherwerre.

Bherwerre is home to some of the Boderee National Parks rarer seabirds. Pods of bottle-nose dolphins are often spotted playing in the waves at the Sussex Inlet Entrance and Humpback whales have been known to enter the protected areas close to shore.

Like Us on Facebook RTBU Holiday Park Jervis Bay RAIL & ROAD March 2022

CHANGE OF DETAILS FORM CHANGE OF PERSONAL DETAILS Surname

Given Name(s)

Gender Male Female

Street Address

Suburb

Post Code

Home Telephone Number

Work Telephone Number

Date Of Birth

Mobile Number

Email (work) Email (home)

Employer

Employee Number

Occupation: Eg Train Driver

RTBU Member Number

Work Location/ Depot

Date Commenced

Employment Status Fulltime

CHANGE IN BANKING DETAILS IMPORTANT Members need to specify the date of their next pay so that when the membership fee debit occurs on a Friday there is sufficient money in the account to ensure the transaction is not dishonoured which results in you then being charged an additional fee by your bank.

Part time

Casual

Next Pay Week

DETAILS OF BANK ACCOUNT TO BE DEBITED Name of Financial Institution (Bank)

Branch where account is held

Account in the name(s) of Bank/State Branch Number: (BSB Six Digits)

Account Number (Maximum of 9 digits)

DETAILS OF CREDIT CARD TO BE DEBITED Credit Card Type: Eg Visa, MasterCard, AMX

Credit Card Number

Credit card in the name of

Expiry Date

I/We authorise and request the Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union, until further notice in writing to arrange for my/our account described in this direct debit authority, to be debited with any amounts which the debit user may properly debit or charge me/us through the direct debit system.

I/We authorise and request this direct debit authority to remain in force until cancelled, deferred or otherwise altered in accordance with this service agreement.

SIGNATURE

SUBMIT

DATE Please Email your completed form to nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au by using the submit button Post: Level 4, 321 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000 or call • Tel: 02 9264 2511

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM Surname

Given Name(s)

Gender Male Female

Street Address

Suburb

Post Code

Home Telephone Number

Work Telephone Number

Date Of Birth

Mobile Number

Email (work) Email (home)

Employer

Employee Number

Date Commenced

Occupation: Eg Train Driver

Work Location/Depot

Employment Status Fulltime

Part time

Casual

the undersigned, hereby apply to become a member of the I, Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union, an Organisation of employees registered under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 as amended, and hereby undertake to comply with the Rules and By-Laws for the time being of the Union.

Signature of Applicant

Dated

I, the undersigned, hereby apply to become a member of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union of New South Wales, an Organisation registered under the Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) as amended, and hereby undertake to comply with the Rules and By-Laws for the time being of the Union.

Signature of Applicant

Dated

via DIRECT DEBIT fortnightly OR 1. I agree to pay $ CREDIT CARD fortnightly. or any other amounts as may be determined from time to time in accordance with the Rules of the Union.

I certify that I have received a copy of Rule 14, Notification of Resignation From Membership.

2. I/We authorise and request the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union, until further notice in writing to arrange for my/ our account described in this direct debit authority, to be debited with any amounts which the debit user may properly debit or charge me/us through the direct debit system.

3. I/We authorise my employer to notify the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union of any change of address during my employment.

4. I/We authorise and request this direct debit authority to remain in force until cancelled, deferred or otherwise altered in accordance with this service agreement.

Signature of Applicant

Dated

DETAILS OF THE ACCOUNT TO BE DEBITED

Account Name OR Name on Credit Card Financial Institution Branch

Date of next pay

IMPORTANT Members need to specify the date of their next pay so that when the membership fee debit occurs on a Friday there is sufficient money in the account to ensure the transaction is not dishonoured which results in you then being charged an additional fee by your bank.

Bank / State Branch No. (BSB)

Card Type

Account No. / If Credit Union Membership No.

MasterCard

Visa

Expiry Date

/

Credit Card Number

SUBMIT

Please Email your completed form to nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au by using the submit button Post: Level 4, 321 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000 or call • Tel: 02 9264 2511

IMPORTANT PLEASE KEEP THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR REFERENCE

4. A notice delivered to the Branch Secretary shall be deemed to have been received by when it was delivered.

RESIGNATION FROM MEMBERSHIP

5. A notice of resignation that has been received by the Union is not invalid because it was not addressed and delivered the Branch Secretary.

OF THE RTBU 1. A member may resign from membership of the Union by written notice addressed and delivered to the Secretary of his/her Branch.

2. A notice of resignation from membership of the Union takes effect:– (a) where the member ceases to be eligible to become or remain a member of the Union (i) on the day on which the notice is received by the Union or (ii) on the day specified in the notice, which is a day not earlier than the day when the member ceases to be eligible to become a member, whichever is later; or (b) In any other case:– (i) at the end of two weeks; or (ii) on the day specified in the notice: whichever is later.

3. Any subscriptions, fees, fines and levies owing but not paid by a former member of the Union in relation to a period before the member’s resignation took effect, may be sued for and recovered in the name of the Union in a Court of competent jurisdiction, as a debt due to the Union.

6. Resignation from membership of the Union is valid even if it is not affected in accordance with this Rule, if the member is informed in writing by or on behalf of the Union that the resignation has been accepted.

What happens if I get pregnant, sick for an extended period or take leave without pay?

If you are on unpaid maternity leave, sick or are off work for a substantial period of time you can seek to have your membership fees suspended until you return to work by giving written notice addressed and delivered to the Secretary of his/her Branch under Clause 11 (8): (8) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Rule, should any member during any financial year be without pay owing to ill health or to other causes which a Branch Executive regards as warranting special consideration, then the Branch Executive may grant the member exemption from payment of all or any contributions imposed in accordance with the Rules for all or part of the period during which he/ she is without pay. During the period of the exemption, the member shall be deemed to be financial.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union is bound by the Privacy Act and your information can only used for RTBU processes and cannot be used for any other purposes.

The RTBU Executive, Officers and Staff wish all members and their families

Level 4, 321 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 Tel (02) 9264 2511 Email: nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au Website: www.rtbuexpress.com.au

A top performer investing in good As one of Australia’s largest and best performing super funds, we know that you don’t need to sacrifice doing well to do good.

So we invest in affordable housing, renewable energy and critical infrastructure, while delivering low fees and an average annual return of over 8% over 5 years.^ At the same time as being committed to a more sustainable future, transitioning our investment portfolio to be net zero carbon emissions by 2050, investing in Australian and global renewables, and we have also divested from thermal coal miners.

Join a fund that does well, while doing good for all.

Snowtown 2 in South Australia. An asset owned by our members.

Become Aware today

aware.com.au | Do well. Do good.

Before deciding if this is right for you consider the PDS on our website. Issued by Aware Super Pty Ltd ABN 11 118 202 672, AFSL 293340. ^Returns for the Aware Super Accumulation Growth option were in the top 5 for the 3 and 5 year periods ending 31 December 2020, SuperRatings Fund Crediting Rate Survey (SR50 Balanced (60-76) Index) ranking out of 49 funds for 5 years. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The total annual fee (inclusive of admin and investment fees) for our Accumulation Growth option is 1.04% p.a the overall average is 1.38% p.a Chant West Super Fund Fee Survey, December 2020, based on a $50,000 balance in a Growth option.