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Our future as a true National Union

By Bob Hayden, Acting National Secretary, RTBU

This is the first Journal since my appointment as Acting National Secretary following the resignation of Roger Jowett from the position of National Secretary earlier this year. As this is a new start, I thought it pertinent to not talk about the past, but to focus on our future as a true National Union.

Bob Hayden

As members would be aware, the Trade Union Movement and Australian society in general are facing the most hostile attacks ever seen by the Federal Conservative Government, since the Great Depression of the 1930s. I do not intend to go into the details of what is being proposed by the Howard Liberal Government as this will be taken up in the National Presidents report. Instead, I will focus on what the RTBU is doing to protect itself from such attacks, and discuss how the RTBU is developing a direction for the future which will increase our strength.

To this end, the National Union recently held a two-day Branch Secretaries meeting to discuss and develop strategies regarding the type of National Union the RTBU needs to be to best serve the members' interests.

All Participants were asked to identify the key issues facing the RTBU and the steps that need to be taken to address these issues. There was a strong view expressed by each participant that most of these issues required a coordinated national response from the union. It was agreed that maximum unity between the National Office, state branches and divisions should be fostered to achieve this coordination and enable us to operate as a true National Union.

The following issues were identified by the Secretaries as key to the success of the National Union:

Coordination of bargaining campaigns and negotiations - particular for multi-state operators:

The adoption of national standards for bargaining - to begin with a trial in Infrastructure for Labor Hire, Sub-Contractors and Contractors.
Provision of relevant information to Branches on wages, conditions and bargaining.
Assistance with campaigning and negotiations.
Review and monitoring campaigns.
Implementing and enforcing agreements.

Legal and Industrial:

Participation in campaigns in response to federal industrial relations changes.
Enhancing in-house legal and industrial capacity.
Industry Regulation and policy:
Development of consistent policy which responds to the needs of Branches.
Matching resources with demands.
Process for identifying priorities.

Communications:

Improving the National Union Journal.

Bulletins.

Public Relations.

Web Sites and Resources.

Small States:

The needs of States with small memberships were identified as requiring special attention by the National Union. The situation of these States was raised in the context of each of the issues listed above.

Besides State-based businesses, it was agreed that growth in businesses operating across state borders was likely to continue. It was also agreed that industrial agreements negotiated by one Branch had potential to impact well beyond their state of origin due to:

an expansion of the business into another state;
the use of the terms in the agreement as a precedent by the employer in their interstate operations;
the use of the terms in the agreement as a benchmark by other employers; and
the market advantage or disadvantage that is gained by or imposed on employers in a competitive industry.

Given the pressures, it was agreed that there is a greater need for coordination of bargaining within the rail industry. To achieve this objective we require new functions and disciplines to be developed for both the National Union and Branches.

The first step in this process should include the adoption of some national standards for bargaining in cross-border businesses. The process for adopting these standards needs to incorporate a balance between national discipline and workplace involvement as follows:

The National Executive / Council of the union will determine some key wages and conditions provisions. These will become the RTBU's position on these issues in agreement negotiations and will lead to a consistent outcome in the industry.
National Divisional Committees may supplement these matters nationally for particular occupations or groupings of members, provided these matters are consistent with nationally developed and agreed policies.
RTBU workplace representatives and members may supplement these matters at the workplace with content specific to that business, provided that these matters are consistent with National Executive / Council or National Division Policy.

This process may give rise to a need to review the composition of the national decision making bodies, so that the decisions properly reflect the needs and aspirations of the members.

As the incoming Acting National Secretary, I look forward to working in co-operation with the Branches and Divisions, to maximise the power of the RTBU for the benefit of our members, at a time of great challenge for the Trade Union Movement and our whole society in Australia.

We must never forget that one of the responsibilities of the Trade Union Movement is to play its part in the continued development of a fair and just civil society, where human rights and social justice are respected and expected.

Now is the time for the RTBU to stand up and be counted as a true National Union. We must not allow historical differences to cloud our judgement of who our collective enemy is.