Hamilton Public Holiday Dispute
A dispute has been lodged and won following NSW Trains’ failure to advise drivers of public holiday working arrangements within the applicable timeframe of 14 days as per the Drivers Rostering & Working Arrangements.
NSW Trains argued that members had access to forward rostering and this constituted the required advice. Once investigated, it was discovered that this access had never been consulted and actually gave unauthorised access to potential confidential information. Additionally, not all drivers were aware of this access or had been trained so, from a Loco Division position, this negated the NSW Trains argument regarding advice. They then argued that a public holiday conversion chart had been developed and constituted advice. Once again this was easily negated as a public holiday conversion chart only provides a guide to sign on times and does not provide actual rostering arrangement for the day.
Based on these findings, NSW Trains has now agreed to provide public holiday advice as per the previous written arrangement and will also make arrangements for the due payments and associated entitlements to be provide to the affected drivers at Hamilton.