Sydney Trains Voluntary Redundancy Program Update

Bulletin 35 – 2016

TO: All Sydney Trains Members,

In response to the RTBU’s vocal objections to the Sydney Trains’ latest attack on employee numbers with the implementation of a voluntary redundancy program (VRP) Sydney Trains have responded with the following advice.

Sydney Trains has given consideration to representations made by the RTBU and ASU in relation to the nature of the positions in scope for the voluntary redundancy program.

Having considered the matters raised Sydney Trains will remove the following positions from the scope of the program:

1. Station Duty Managers
2. Network Operations Shift Managers (in the RMC)
3. Network Operations Shift Supervisors (in Signal Box Operations)

Sydney Trains however would not consider the RTBU’s objections to other positions and are to progress the rollout of the VRP to all other positions that Sydney Trains have identified as potentially surplus to requirements.

Sydney Trains provided the Unions with a 14 page document detailing 1149 position titles that are in scope and the employees in these positions will be invited to register their interest in VR.

Given the size of this document it will be available for viewing by members here.

Sydney Trains are hoping to achieve an immediate take up of this VR offer of at least 240 to 360 employees to appease State Government and to meet the State Government’s budgetary requirements.

The RTBU sees this as yet another example of a Government with “privatisation” clearly in its sights and driving down employee numbers is priming Sydney Trains for future aspirations to do exactly that, “privatise”.

The RTBU recommend that members should not participate in this VRP and therefore should not register an interest in VR as this will only assist the Government achieve its goal.