A.R.G. (ASR SA&NT) EBA RTBU NEWS BULLETIN NO. 3

RTBU NEGOTIATES INTERIM INCREASE

The RTBU EBA negotiating team consisting of National and Branch Officers and delegates Bill O'Reilly (Port Lincoln), Reg Harris (Whyalla), and Peter Coffey (Port Augusta) met with ARG/ASR representatives in Adelaide on 14,15 October, 2004.

After six weeks of hard slog ARG/ASR have made an "Interim" offer, which after a union caucus, has been accepted. A 4% increase to hourly wage rates will be paid from 26 September, 2004. This is the expiry date of the current EBA. In addition passive time, a real thorn in the side for train crew, will be abolished. Working parities will be established to establish rostering guidelines at depot level. This is a major step in getting a half decent work and family life for ASR employees.

The reason for the "interim " increase is the amount of detailed work that has to be done to get ARG/ASR wages and conditions up to scratch. ARG are now a national rail company and the RTBU has been pursuing a national strategy of wages and conditions across all states where ARG operates. In the first part of 2004 the RTBU negotiated EBA's for our members in WA and NSW.Many of the conditions will be applied to SA including competency based classification structures. The RTBU wanted ARG/ASR as part of the wages offer to agree that all wages and conditions finally agreed upon should operate from 1Januarry 2005.This was not accepted by the Company though they have agreed to review this issue as the negotiations proceed.

The increase comes at a time when a new company, SSR moves to open up operations in Adelaide. Similar to other rail companies it is seeking to poach rail crew because of the serious shortage across Australia. The low wages and conditions of train crew in ASR mean there is a constant exodus from the company. This has been recognised by ARG senior management who has acknowledged 'THE POOR RELATION STATUS OF ASR HAS TO END".

ARG/ASR have agreed in principle to a number of issues. These include, weekend payments to stand alone, the introduction of a held away from home allowance, significant increases in meal allowances, introduction of RDO's and rostering principles, daily overtime, 12 hour break between shifts at home depot and improvements to barracks accommodation standards. The sting in the tail is that management has said they want a 3 year agreement order to phase in increases. This will be an issue for members to consider when on the job meetings occur to consider the total wages and conditions package.

DRIVER ONLY OPERATIONS:

Considerable attention has been paid to this issue. The operations at Whyalla are unique with a combination of DOO mainline, DOO shunt and DOO remote both within and outside the steelworks. Members are concerned at the inadequacy of the 3%payment for DOO remote. Management have floated a concept of an all up rate for DOO at Whyalla because almost all train working is DOO.Our response will depend on the overall aggregate put on the table.

The negotiating team agreed that immediate negotiations should commence for the implementation of 8-hour DOO rosters at Whyalla. Management were sympathetic to the reduction from the current 12 hours.

The negotiating team are resolutely opposed to DOO on relay van working and management were left in no doubt as to the strength of our position They indicated that in other areas of their operations they would not be a large expansion of DOO. The RTBU has included a framework for the introduction of DOO in the EBA's covering ARG's competitors. We are looking to do the same for the SA and NT operations

A number of safety issues were raised in relation to Whyalla's DOO services and in particular the 'man down' procedures for DOO remote and the quality of the radios and radio reception for the mainline operations. ARG will respond to the Union's concerns at the next meeting.

EXCLUSION OF WEEKEND PENALTIES FROM THE AGGREGATE:

The current EBA includes weekend penalty payments and the RTBU claim is for these to stand alone because they differ from depot to depot and members have said they want to be paid what they work rather than the current system which is based on a notional average amount across the company's whole operations. ARG estimated the Adelaide depot worked 9 hours per weekend, Whyalla 12 and Port August 9. Management has agreed in principle to the RTBU's claim.

HELD AWAY FROM HOME ALLOWANCE:

This is a standard condition in rail agreements across Australia, except for ASR, where is no provision. ARG have agreed to the RTBU claim in principle for payment after 12 hours. This includes double book off on the EP where multiple book off will be added together to calculate whether a payment will be made. Once again management emphasised that they would raise phasing in issues.

OVERTIME:

The RTBU has stressed the need to ensure proper manning levels and relief to ensure shift limits are not exceeded. Where they are worked ARG have agreed that a payment at 1.7 will be made after 12 hours.

TEMPORARY TRANSFERS:

ARG have raised transfers when there is a permanent downturn of work, the creation of sub depots which would become lines on existing depot rosters, particularly for remote areas, and an increase in the period for which temporary transfers can be undertaken. The RTBU has argued these transfers should be voluntary and if unable to transfer for social and family reasons they should be treated as a redundancy, and, for the payment of a daily "incidental" expenses allowance of $13.85 per day for each day on temporary transfer.

ARG believed that the increase in the daily traincrew meal allowance from $13.75 to $20.75 per meal would be sufficient compensation. Obviously there is along way to go on this clause.

RELAY VAN WORKING:

The RTBU want the payment increased from 50% to 80% of the hourly rate. ARG want this time to be included where time falls short of the guarantee. Further discussions will occur on this important item.

NEXT MEETING:

The next negotiating round will be held in Adelaide on 8 and 9 November. During this period meetings of working parties will be held off line to investigate and report on rostering principles. This is the key issue for determining whether we get some sort of family and social life. Delegated and members will drive these working parties.

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