Objects of the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union

The objects of the Union are:

(a) to uphold the rights of combination of labour, to maximise the amount of labour employed within the rail, tram and bus industry and to improve, protect and foster the best interests of its members;

(b) to take all necessary steps and actions under any relevant legislation or otherwise, for the purpose of securing satisfactory industrial and working conditions without discrimination, in respect of the remuneration of labour, the hours of labour and other conditions in or in relation to employment in the rail, tram and bus industry;

(c) to provide for the protection and safety of its members and members of the public in the course of or in connection with its members' employment;

(d) to obtain preferential treatment for its members in all aspects of their employment;

(e) to improve the social and economic position of its members;

(f) to assist members or their families in distress;

(g) to formulate and carry into operation schemes for the industrial, social, recreational, intellectual and general advancement of members and to make arrangements with persons engaged in any trade, business or profession for the provision to members of any special benefits, privileges and advantages and in particular in relation to goods and services;

(h) to establish and maintain social clubs and other recreational facilities and amenities for the benefit of members and their families;

(i) to establish, operate and maintain health services;

(j) to establish sickness and / or accident funds, mortality benefit and / or retirement gratuity funds and any other appropriate funds for the benefit of members, Office Bearers and employees of the Union or any particular class or group of members, Office Bearers and employees of the Union;

(k) to establish Branches, Sub-Branches, Divisions, Sub-Divisions or other organisational structures of the Union and to establish governing Bodies and / or consultative committees in relation to each organisational level;

(l) to assist members by all reasonable and proper means, to address any and all grievances which the members may have, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing -
(i) to assist members in enforcing their rights under any law relating to industrial conciliation or arbitration or compensation for illness or injuries or any other statutory enactment
(ii) to provide financial, legal and other assistance for securing, protecting and advancing the rights, privileges, benefits, interests and welfare of members and their families and for the conduct of negotiations or any proceedings for the attainment of this object;

(m) to establish and / or maintain Official Journals, other Journals, newspapers or other publications, or radio, television or other electronic broadcasting facilities and / or to assist in the establishment, operation and maintenance of any such publications or facilities owned by bona fide trade unions or labour organisations or conducted in the interests thereof, including but not limited to the purchase of shares in any corporation carrying on such an activity;

(n) to provide information on industrial, economic, social, legal and political matters affecting members;

(o) to organise and / or assist in the training and education of members and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to assist any movement or institution for the training of members in the skills and duties of their occupation or their rights and duties as members of the working class;

(p) to encourage, develop and maintain fraternal relations with and to assist kindred organisations and their members and dependants, either in or out of Australia;

(q) to encourage and support the organisation of industrial unionism by the establishment of one union for all grades and classifications of railway, tram and bus industry employees and the linking up, by amalgamation with unions in other sections of the transport industry or in other industries as the National Council may from time to time determine;

(r) to cooperate, affiliate, federate, amalgamate, merge with or absorb any association, organisation or union of employees whether registered or not pursuant to any industrial law of the Commonwealth of Australia or of any State or Territory of Australia;

(s) to assist I the movement for the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and for the application of the principles of democracy to industry, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to assist, support and / or encourage direct representation in the Federal and State parliaments and Municipal and Shire Councils with the view to promoting such legislative reforms as will ensure social justice to workers and to actively support by all possible means, the complete nationalisation of all forms of public transport and carriage of freight;

(t) to affiliate with and / or assist financially or otherwise, any bona fide labour or trade union organisation or association or representative body or council which promotes or protects the cause of labour;

(u) to establish, maintain and / or assist any body, corporation or association concerned with research into industrial, economic, social, legal and political matters affecting members and the trade union movement;

(v) to resist any introduction or the continuation of bonus, butty gang, piece work and similar pernicious systems of employment;

(w) to raise funds by contributions, levies, fines, donations, fees, interest on capital, and otherwise for any of the objects of the Union;

(x) to invest funds;

(y) to purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property, including any land, building or easements, for any purpose connected with the conduct of the Union;

(z) to sell, improve, manage, develop, exchange, lease, dispose of, turn to account or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property and rights of the Union;

(aa) to borrow or raise funds or secure the repayment of funds;

(bb) to undertake and do all such acts, matters and things as may be necessary, incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects or any of them.