Footplate: Christmas and New Year arrangements

Members are advised that following considerable issues with the Christmas/New Year Master Roster a position has been reached with Sydney Trains to increase visibility of the Christmas Period Roster and secure additional Lift Up and Lay Back claims For Drivers.

The Locomotive Division acknowledges the frustration of Members arising from the uncertainty and confusion around this 2 week Master Roster change. We believe that Sydney Trains’ decision to recast the Master Roster over the holiday period is an unnecessary nuisance and should have been avoided. While Sydney Trains believe they have met their obligations under your Enterprise Agreement their decision is questionable and we believe not in the spirit of trying to rebuild good will. This is highlighted by an attempt to post the Christmas/New Year Period Roster almost 2 weeks early; forcing swaps to be made after posting and resulting in a loss of entitlements. This lost of entitlement was only avoided through the intervention of the Loco Division.

Sydney Trains has committed to providing a “preview” of the Christmas/New Year Period Roster to facilitate swaps and indicate which jobs will be converted to “HOL” or “Public Holiday not required”. This “preview” will have no impact on the swapping process or entitlements to Lift Up and Lay Back on altered Diagrams or Master Roster shift times as the Period Roster will not be officially posted until Wednesday 20th December as is customary.

Further agreement has been reached providing for Drivers to now be able to claim Lift Up and Lay Back against the November 26 Master Roster for shifts on 29, 30 and 31 December. These claims will be capped at 4 hours and paid at subject time in line with Drivers Rostering and Working Arrangements. This additional claim was achieved after drawing Sydney Trains attention to a 2011 agreement around a “revised” Master Roster.

Download the Footplate here.