Dispute over Sydney Trains rostering

A Notice of Dispute has been lodged with Sydney Trains following recent attempts by Sydney Trains to change period rosters outside of the allowable timeframes.

The matter was raised originally from the Campbelltown Depot when a Shift Managers began asking crew if they would be willing to change their sign on times and, in some cases, their book off days. When questioned, management advised that it had to be done because of “emergency track work”.

When challenged as illogical, the real reason was revealed – an “oversight by the scheduling unit which did not pass on details of all the sign-on/off time changes to the rostering unit”.

The RTBU then discovered that other depots would also be affected with Blacktown advising that changes were also occurring there. Whatever the reason, the posting of new period rosters outside of the allowable timeframes is a clear breach of the Driver Rostering and Working Arrangements and the enterprise agreement. Additionally, failure to provide the appropriate notice for amendments also constitutes another clear breach.

With the advent of electronic rosters becoming more available, members are requested to be increasingly vigilant that the due timeframes regarding amendments/altered working are strictly adhered to by Sydney Trains.