Visit the 
Visit the Maintenance Cleaning Members win equal opportunities for acting in higher duties
Bulletin No. 35.20
To: Rail Tram and Bus Union – Sydney Trains Maintenance Centre Cleaning Attendant Members.
Congratulations to our members who stood together and stopped Sydney Trains in their attempts to change the way members’ access acting up opportunities.
19 May 2020, members notified us that there had been an increase in people “acting up” without any transparency in the selection process.
In the past these opportunities were provided to members on a rotating basis. This meant equal access to opportunities for anyone that wanted them.
Members raised their concerns and were ignored they then raised it as a dispute.
At first Sydney Trains management stated that they could do this under their “talent policy”. When members pointed out they had ignored criteria within this policy, they side stepped, telling us they could do this under the “Talent Pipeline”,
This indicated a change to policy that clearly requires consultation with members and their Union. Sydney Trains cannot unilaterally change the process for acting up without consultation. You have a right to be consulted.
Members stood strong and firm taking this dispute through to a Stage 3 conciliation with Unions NSW.
After two conciliations and some robust discussion, we won.
On July 8, Sydney Trains admitted there had been no consultation about the introduction of the “Talent Pipeline” and agreed to return to the rotating system.
They also agreed to start consultation about the use of the talent pipeline.
Congratulations to all members involved in this win. Only by standing together, as Union can we expose and address issues like this at work.
| Issued by: | Authorised by: |
| Helen Bellette Organiser | Alex Claassens Branch Secretary |