Update 12, Wednesday September 27

Value us and value our work

Your CRU negotiating team met with management on the 26th September to tell them about the issues that matter most to you.

After the delegates’ conference on the 12th of September it was critical management hear how serious you are about:

• Maintaining the incentive payment from the Deed (64 weeks redundancy pay) in an enforceable industrial instrument;
• Establishing a committee that can have a real influence on the protection of direct permanent employment;
• A Clause 12 (facilitation clause) that provides flexibility to people who want to negotiate over their conditions and protection to people who do not;
• Not dealing with pay and the term of the Agreement until we know more about the value of the overall package;
• Proper assessments of workloads being included in any future restructures; and
• Paid Domestic Violence Leave being included in the new Agreement.

As expected, management responded with a 2.5% pay offer and demonstrated a lack of knowledge about how contractors’ are working on the railway – this exploits contractors, undercuts the conditions of permanent staff and puts everyone at risk.

We have given management a number of issues to consider. We hope that the spin and propaganda stops and that they get serious about valuing you and the work that you do.

If you have any questions about negotiations or what steps we need to take to get a good Agreement, make sure you speak to your delegate. Together we can secure good jobs and fair conditions.

Please distribute this bulletin throughout your workplace. If you have any questions or require more information contact your union.

Download a PDF of this bulletin here.