Station Staff Action – Industrial Action Update

Dear members,

Action Leaving Gates Open

From today, Station Staff have commenced industrial action in the form of leaving all gates open at all times. This is in addition to the previously notified indefinite action of keeping the wide gate array open.

This action allows Station Staff to take all necessary steps to ensure that gates remain open.  Don’t be intimidated or misled by managers about the status of this action. We have heard of some reports of CAMs stating they have an exemption from the action. This is not true.

There are no exemptions from this action aside from if the network goes into degraded mode conditions when, for safety reasons, members should allow the gates to be shut to avoid overcrowding on platforms. However, this exemption should only be allowed during a period of degraded operations.

We have already seen stations around the network with their gates left open with CSAs everywhere standing up to management. The action applies to both Sydney Trains and NSW Trains and will be active until 0001hrs on 6 September 2022.

Strike in Strike Action Areas

Next Wednesday, 17 August 2022, and the following Tuesday, 23 August, and Thursday, 25 August, there will be strikes in Strike Action Areas 2, 3, and 4 respectively. All Station Staff that fall within those strike areas will be walking off the job between 12pm and 4pm. You can find out which strike area you are in by finding your home station here.

We’ve heard reports of management attempting to reallocate some fixed CSAs shifts from their home station into the strike area. This is being done without mutual agreement, which is required for such a change. If you receive an email changing your shift from your home station and you haven’t agreed to do so, you should respond declining the change.

For those CSAs that are not fixed, it is permissible for management to allocate you to a station within a Strike Action Area as the ban on working away from your home station has been temporary lifted during the strike period (10am – 4pm). As soon as the strike is over the ban will immediately be back in place.

The solidarity shown across the network through a coordinated set of industrial actions has got us to where we are today, and we need to continue this action until we get the fair enterprise agreement we deserve.

If you hear anything that sounds wrong, or a manager instructs you to do something contrary to the protected industrial action, you should immediately ask for it in writing and let us know. We will not tolerate members being targeted for exercising their lawful workplace right to take industrial action.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please contact your organiser or local delegate.

You can keep up to date on our campaign for better wages and conditions at www.ourrightsourfight.com.au.

In Unity,
RTBU NSW

Issued & authorised by Alex Claassens, Secretary, Rail, Tram and Bus Union – NSW Branch
Level 4, 321 Pitt Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 92642511
nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au
www.rtbu-nsw.asn.au

13 August 2022

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