Management told to come clean on reforms

The Combined Rail Unions last week received advice regarding Sydney Trains intention to start another round of reform and engage in other measures to reduce employment security for members.

The CRU sought urgent discussions regarding the matter and received a briefing at noon on Monday confirming the rumours were true.

At 2pm the CRU met with the Rail Entities regarding the new enterprise agreement. At the meeting the CRU told management that confirmation of these rumours affecting a number of areas meant the delegates who attended the Delegates Conference on 26 November 2013 had been misled.

At the CRU Delegates Conference Mr Howard Collins and Mr Rob Mason were invited to provide their views on ALL the matters they wished to canvas as issues during the negotiations for a replacement EA. As a result of the failure to provide this information, in particular failing to respond to at least three explicit questions on the topic of privatisation and further reform, the CRU advised management representatives yesterday that they required a signed letter from the Minister for Transport confirming all the issues and areas of reform had now been provided to the CRU.

At the first meeting with NSW / Sydney Trains representatives the CRU were advised there would need to be some recognition of the cost savings made by the current reform process as part of the final wage outcome for the replacement EA. This has not been put on the table to date as part of these negotiations.

As a result the CRU are currently unable to accurately report to members or to fully consider their position and finalise their log of claims until all the requested detail has been supplied by the Rail Entities.

The CRU representatives will not be placed in a position of providing only “half the information” to members when the information will form the basis on which the members will consider a log of claims.

The CRU is committed to bargaining in good faith to achieve a new agreement, however, both parties must demonstrate good faith if any real progress is to be made.

UNION WORKPLACE ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT MEETINGS

The CRU will hold workplace meetings to report on the outcome of the Delegates Conference including matters raised by delegates for consideration of members.

A timetable of dates, times and locations of meetings will be circulated to members later in the week.

See the full Bulletin here.