From the Branch Secretary

As the NSW public goes to an election on March 25, our members have recorded a massive win in the long, drawn out, and often hostile Sydney/ NSW Trains EA. After securing a deal locking in safety modifications to the Korean made New Intercity Fleet, and major progress on wages and conditions, members overwhelmingly voted in support of the proposed EA. Given the political games played by the NSW Government, the public abuse of members, and the use of every legal weapon and media misinformation at its disposal, our members remained strong and united, and persisted with a series of industrial actions which finally arrived at a fair and reasonable EA outcome. As we go to press, we received news that a Fair Work Commission decision confirmed even higher increases, smashing the NSW Government’s unfair ‘wages cap’. This has been a monumental dispute and one which every RTBU member should be incredibly proud of. There have also been some recent major wins and positive developments in a number of other industrial agreements. Members have agreed to a new EA for the Airport Link, Pacific National Terminal Operators have locked in a three year EA, similarly Pacific National Bulk members have endorsed a new EA, while negotiations around the PN Asset and Infrastructure EA continue. Negotiations are also slowly moving forward with the QUBE EA.

As the people of NSW go to the polls to elect the next Government, the shameful dirty tactics during the EA campaign will be front and centre in the minds of rail workers, and across the community, as they cast their votes. It is no accident, that flowing from this industrial campaign and the issues it raised, we have joined forces with the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) in a campaign to have public transport vehicles built locally, by local manufacturing workers and fit for local conditions. We are calling on candidates in the NSW election to pledge their support to the building of trains, trams and ferries locally by Australian workers. Regardless of whether the next NSW Government is a Perrottet Coalition Government or a Minns Labor Government, we will continue to push for public transport to be built here. This Rail & Road also reports on major industrial relations reform at the Federal level. The first important round of legislation was the passing through Federal Parliament of the Albanese Government’s Secure Jobs Bill, with Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, Tony Burke, outlining the new legislative changes planned for later in the year to build on the Secure Jobs legislation and to meet their election promises for better social provisions for working families, and bridging pay inequalities, improving job security and getting wages moving. We also report the results of the 2022