Member Update: February 25, 2022

Dear Members,

Mondays are usually a slow news day, but the RTBU received a rude awakening that morning after the NSW Government shut down the train network, much to the shock and confusion of workers who turned up for their shifts. It seemed that the first half of the day was spent smearing the union and shifting the blame, only for the NSW Government to backflip on their accusations and take responsibility late at night, when the general public were likely too far into dreamland to hear the news. By Tuesday morning, the narrative had rightly switched over to the NSW Government's actions.

Nevertheless, RTBU members were steadfast against the ambush, as well as the abuse that it generated, and we wish all power and strength to them as they iron this out.

In our realm, it's been another week of EA negotiations.

For Keolis Downer Newcastle members, we've attached an update with a link to the KD's responses to issues raised at the last meeting. Your negotiating committee requested that KD put their Log of Claims on the table next week  so we can understand what financial constraints they keep telling us they have and start focusing on what a “real” wage increase means for you. RTBU Officials will be attending Belmont and Hamilton depots next Friday 4 March 2022 to explain where we are up to in the negotiating process and to answer any questions you may have.

And for Keolis Downer Norther Beaches members, the EAs has been approved! Congratulations to all members and delegates for their perseverance and hard work! Working  together, the union roadmap has delivered the State Transit Award into the Federal system as an EA.

Case numbers have continued to fall and - minus the debacle earlier in the week - easing restrictions means NSW has begun to wake up. As a result, more and more people are catching a ride on public transport to get to work, school, and everywhere else they need to go. We'd just like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your hard work providing an essential service through it all once again!

We hope that you continue to stay safe and well. 

Keolis Downer Norther Beaches Update - Conversion of STA leave from days to hours

Your union representatives met earlier this week with KDNB to discuss KDNB’s understanding of  converting members Annual Leave/Long Service Leave that they had with STA from days into hours.  

KDNB was of the understanding that each day was only worth 7 hours and 36 minutes but paid at 8  hours. Therefore, if you had 10 days transferring across from STA, KDNB would convert that into only  76 hours instead of 80 hours. 

Your union explained to KDNB that those calculations were incorrect, and each A/L or LSL day should  be calculated as 1 day = 8 hours. After further investigation, KDNB have confirmed that they will now  convert all STA LSL and A/L days as 8 hours per day. E.g., 10 STA days will be converted into 80 hours. 

PLEASE NOTE: That if you have any issues with your pay, your first port of call needs to be your payroll  officer (or in the interim till the end of March, the HR personnel located in each depot) and if you are  unhappy with their explanations, then raise the matter with your local delegate who will assist you  from that point. 

Mandatory Vaccination 

KDNB senior management advised the RTBU they will not be making mandatory vaccination  compulsory for those staff who have transferred across from STA unless there is a public health order  that says so. 

In stating the above, it has been brought to the union’s attention that certain managers within KDNB  have taken it upon themselves to vigorously pursue members concerning their Covid-19 vaccination  status. 

PLEASE NOTE: There is currently no public health order that states you need to provide your  vaccination status to your employer, so you are quite within your right to advise the manager who is  asking about your vaccination status, that you do not wish to disclose it. If the manager persists,  please advise them that you wish for your local delegate to be present before you continue with any  conversation.

Annual Leave Loading

As raised in our last bulletin KDNB put forward a proposal that any Annual Leave Loading should be  paid whenever Annual Leave is taken, irrespective of when it is accrued. This would apply to any  Annual Leave accumulated after 01 January 2021. Any Annual Leave accumulated prior to this date  has already had the leave loading component paid. 

Considering the feedback from the members and delegates, the RTBU have agreed with this proposal  from KDNB.  

Please feel free to discuss any of these matters mentioned above with your local delegates who have  been instrumental in having KDNB get a better understanding of how things operationally work. 

Enterprise Agreement Approved

Congratulations to all members and delegates for their perseverance and hard work! Working  together, the union roadmap has delivered the State Transit Award into the Federal system as an  Enterprise Agreement.  

Keolis Downer Newcastle Enterprise Bargaining Update

The RTBU met with KD management representatives Emmanuel Genlot, Nikki Garbett and Mel  Hogan (General Manager, People and Culture) on Wednesday 16 and 23 February 2022 to  continue negotiations for the Keolis Downer Newcastle Bus Operations Enterprise Agreement 2021. 

The last 3 EA meetings have centred around your Log of claims (listed below) along with KD’s position for each claim. They have been categorised as follows: Agreed in-principle, rejected,  further review and financial claim except for the last claim which is for “real” pay increases  and will involve further discussion at the next EA meeting. KD have told your negotiating  committee that all financial claims will be considered by KD as part of any overall package they may offer you.

View all the issues raise and KD's responses in the Member Bulletin here.

Next Steps 

KD have advised us that they are still reviewing your financial claims, to understand what it  would mean for them if these claims/clauses were put into a new agreement. Your negotiating committee requested that KD put their Log of Claims on the table next week  so we can understand what financial constraints they keep telling us they have and start focusing on what a “real” wage increase means for you. 

Wages 

Your negotiating committee is yet to put forward any figures that would represent a “real” wage rise other than stating that you have told us you want 2% above any pay rise to  compensate for the loss of take home pay that KD can and have taken away from you through rostering. 

Your negotiating committee will present KD, at the next meeting, a list of additional  duties/responsibilities that you have identified, which have been introduced into the  workplace with the expectation that these additional duties/responsibilities be acknowledged by KD and remunerated accordingly.  

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 2 March 2022. 

Officials of the RTBU will be attending the depots next Friday 4 March 2022 to explain where we are up to in the negotiating process and to answer any questions you may have. 

BELMONT: 10.00am 
HAMILTON: 12.30pm 

Please feel free to discuss any EA related questions with your local delegates Robin  O'Donoghue and Glenn Saunders. Your Divisional Vice-President Brett Peters is also available to assist. 

It is only in numbers and unity that we have power for improvement. 

Region 7 bargaining

As reported last week, Busways has now issued the NERR (paperwork telling workers in Region 7 about the bargaining process).

A survey is being prepared for members to complete next the week so you can tell us what what's important to you and what we should be fighting for.

Once we receive the results of this, we'll be able to move forwards with formal bargaining knowing that your best interests are at the centre of everything we work towards.

A bulletin was sent to Region 7 members about bargaining, the 3 door bendy allowance and other local matters. You can read this here.

Gift Cards

A resolution was moved at the last executive endorsing the union to purchase gift cards to the value of $50.00 per member.

These will be available from your delegate around late April or early May this year. A reminder to members who are going through privatisation to submit payroll deduction forms so they are financial members of the union so they can collect the card.

Once again, we'd like to say thank you to all members for the fantastic work you have done through the pandemic! While there's no words to express how grateful we are for all your hard work, we these gift cards give you the opporunity to treat yourselves however you like.

In case you missed it: TfNSW Mandatory vaccination policy - latest update

A reminder this story only applies to members in Region 9 bus depots.

As the union has long maintained, there are other ways of making sure workers are safe than mandatory vaccination.

As you would know, Transdev has now committed to looking at these other measures (masks all the time, regular testing, physical distancing etc) and allow workers who have not been vaccinated to return to work. They will only return to work (once the company takes over) with extra safety measures in place. The union is not going to advocate anything that puts workers at risk.

We met in the IRC last week with TfNSW about payments and reimbursement of entitlements for people that have been forced to stay at home. Because the RTBU was focused on making sure drivers did not lose their jobs, that was the finish line we put forward to resolve the dispute. That has been achieved, but while the dispute was running workers affected should have been paid. We had another report back to the IRC Tuesday just past, but TfNSW became caught up in the whole ‘Lie to the Public for Political Gain’ saga with the trains. TfNSW asked for and received, an extension to the next IRC report back which is now scheduled for 9am Thursday 3^rd of March.

This means they haven’t made a decision on backpay yet covering the period the dispute was live. As soon as we have more news, a dedicated bulletin will go out to members.

A dedicated bulletin will go out next week with an update after the IRC appearance.

Sydney train shutdown updates on the Sydney Morning Herald live blog

As many of you will know, the RTBU was embroiled in a "they said, they said" battle with the NSW Government after the entire rail network was shut down on Monday. A lot has happened since then. To keep track of it all between member bulletins and updates, the Sydney Morning Herald has started a live blog documenting everything as it happens. 

Read the live blog here.

Major NSW transport projects behind schedule and over budget

More than ten major public transport projects are “not on track” for delivery and the department is facing a multi-billion blowout in infrastructure costs.

It is understood that there is a $2.7 billion overspend across public transport infrastructure projects that have blown out over budget.

Projects deemed to be “not on track” by bureaucrats include the Parramatta Light Rail, the state’s new Intercity trains, a new regional rail fleet, and changes to ferry services.

Read the full article on The Daily Telegraph (please note there is a paywall)

Thanks for your essential work during a time of crisis.

In solidarity, 

David Babineau and Daniel Jaggers