ASLEF conference discusses the global issues

Bob Hayden, Loco Division Secretary, and Keith McMahon, OHS coordinator, recently attended the first three days of the annual ASLEF Conference in the UK.

The two were invited to attend after ASLEF attended the Divisional Council meeting last year. The General Secretary and a delegate from the RMTU New Zealand also attended.

The important five day conference is held annually to set future direction of ASLEF both politically and industrially. Among the very diverse range of topics discussed were:

– Britain’s exit form the eurozone,

– Downturn in coal and the affect on Freightliner UK,

– The Extension of DOO.

Social media policy and the possible implications of what members put on social media,

– The use of technology such as iPads and smart phones.

– Defined benefit pension fund changes

In the Australian report to the conference, Bob and Keith spoke about how the issues affecting drivers around the world are often very similar, and about the need to continue to build links with each other and share and learn form others’ experiences.

Also covered in the Loco Division report were:

– the outsourcing of work to smaller non-union labour hire companies;

– attempts to increase shift limits under the guise of fatigue management,

– introduction of driver only operation in NSW,

– WHS issues and safety related issues,

– the introduction of technology to dumb down and de-skill train drivers,

– attacks on conditions of employment under the guise of “world’s best practice” and “international benchmarking” – particularly in the passenger operations,

– increasing attempts by operators to ‘increase footplate time’ as the warped view that drivers are only productive when they are actually driving a revenue earning service,

– the introduction of in-cab cameras and in-cab recording

– attempts to transfer the risk from the employer to the employee when it comes to fatigue management and hours of work.

These issues are not exclusive to Australia. In fact we’ve seen similar, and in some cases worse, attacks on drivers in the United States, New Zealand, Japan, throughout the Asia Pacific Region, across Europe and in the UK.

Similar issues spread around the world like the plague as companies, governments and management seek to use whatever the latest buzzword, trend, work practice and new technology is in an effort to attack working conditions – that’s why it’s critical that we as a global transport community work together.

The NSW Loco Division is intending to invite ASLEF and a number of other driver unions to a combined Loco Division Delegates Conference being planned for November.