ARTC Enterprise Agreement – Post your Protected Industrial Action Ballot

REMINDER: Post your Protected Industrial Action Ballot Form by Monday 11 July

If you haven’t already done so, please fill out your ballot paper and post it back to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), as per the instructions provided by the AEC. Ballot papers must be posted back to the AEC today, Monday 11 July 2016 if you live in a regional area; or posted by Tuesday 12 July 2016 if you live in a metropolitan area.

The Combined Unions recommend members “VOTE YES” to all 18 actions listed on the ballot.

By voting ‘Yes’ you send a clear message to ARTC that you want a fair and equitable EA finalised asap.

Voting in the PAB is an important opportunity for ARTC employees in NSW to send a strong message to management. The Combined Unions and our members are seeking that the ARTC NSW EA includes:

• Fair increases to pay including back-pay
• Fair access and increases to allowances
• Clauses that address safety issues arising from hours of work and fatigue
• Entitlements that are equitable with (not lower than) other ARTC EAs
• Fair processes, bringing ARTC up to the industry standard
• Protection for important employment conditions

It has been confirmed that ARTC is not limited by the Federal Government’s Workplace Bargaining Policy to the extent previously suggested by ARTC management representatives. ARTC is able to negotiate and agree on improvements to the ARTC NSW EA. It is time for ARTC to negotiate a fair and equitable EA NOW.

Please make sure you vote and remember to post back your ballot form so we can ensure ARTC gets the message loud and clear.

Do not miss out on this important opportunity to have a say!

We are asking members to support the ballot and vote yes to every type of action. Please vote by carefully following the instructions from the AEC and then by posting the ballot paper back to the AEC today. Please contact your union if you have any questions or concerns about the process or why we are doing this (details at the bottom of the page).

What is the protected action ballot (PAB)?

A PAB is a secret ballot in which union members are asked to vote on whether or not to approve access to industrial action. Voting ‘yes’ in a PAB does not mean we will take the industrial action. Rather, the PAB is an enabling vote – voting ‘yes’ means you vote for the option to access the types of industrial action listed in the ballot. Each action voted up by members goes into our ‘toolbox’, and is then a protected form of industrial action we can choose to utilise in the future.

We recommend you VOTE YES to all eighteen actions so they are available to members. Do not restrict our options. Vote ‘yes’ to include all actions in our toolbox!

With strong member involvement we can make a change for the better. Talk to your work mates; participation in “Protected Action” is only open to members of the Combined Unions.

Authorised: Alex Claassens
NSW Secretary, Rail Tram and Bus Union
Level 4,321 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Read the full bulletin here.