Pacific National- Greta roster

Tone deaf while Greta burns!

Further to our last newsletter on this matter, shortly after our newsletter went out the roster committee received a request to hold a meeting yesterday 3rd September 2025. In good faith members accepted the invitation only to be advised Pacific National are not open to the roster the committee has spent months on due to the company’s analysis that the roster has 21% less availability than the current roster. 

Additionally, after years of stating that they would not accept anymore than a three-zone roster, the company presented a four-zone roster to the committee. (changing the goal posts again!) One may think that a four-zone roster would be better, but the delegates viewed it every bit as bad as the current roster, if not worse. The company then stated that for such a concession, they also wanted the workforce to agree to removing the 9-hour shift length provision for working with Second Persons. SUCH GENEROSITY! 

Honestly one has to ask what planet the management team are on! Their workers are leaving in droves because of the roster and they can’t even attract replacements with a $40K bonus to work there. They claim they are serious about reviewing their fatigue Risk Management Program, but at the same time are intent on forcing workers to work the most fatiguing roster in the industry and still want more blood! If they keep going there will be more blood, most likely from injured workers! 

The CEO recently stated: 

“For Bulk and Coal the customers want their tonnes delivered when they need it, and cancellations really impact them. We really struggled in July to deliver on our promise, due primarily to driver shortages. There’s a lot of work underway to improve that situation with clear traction.” 

What “clear traction”? The bonus isn’t working, and management didn’t deny that more workers are leaving than joining. Perhaps the CEO should speak directly with the roster committee and train crews instead of relying on spreadsheet-driven assumptions from bean counters. 

On Productivity: 

The CEO also referenced productivity. Let us remind him: productivity is not achieved by undermining workers. For over a decade, Pacific National has eroded its workforce through labour hire schemes and restructuring tactics designed to sidestep enterprise agreements. That party is over, Mr. Grehan – there will be no encore. 

The RTBU has given Pacific National until COB Wednesday to respond with a meaningful proposal. In the meantime, we are preparing to escalate the matter to the Fair Work Commission. 

YOUR SAFETY AND YOUR RIGHTS 

We urge all members to prioritise safety. Refuse shifts where it is evident that you will breach limits. If your shift limit is breached, report it via the Loco Express breach tool and lodge a dispute with your supervisor. 

P.S. The company hinted they might reconsider the committee’s roster, if employees surrender the 9-hour shift limit, DIL days, and maybe close the 21% availability gap. That’s not negotiation. That’s coercion. 

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