Locomotive Division NIF Depot Tour

Last week and this week, the Locomotive Division undertook a depot wide tour of the InterCity depots to canvass the membership to enable the Locomotive Division to continue to fight for a safer operating model of the New InterCity Fleet.

Locomotive Division President; Farren Campbell, Vice-President; Dan Leece and InterCity Divisional Councillor; Paul Dornan engaged members to seek the endorsement in the form of a signatory petition to an operational model that demanded:

• An absolute right-of-way for the train dispatch procedure,
• A physical presence to manage the train platform interface
• The removal of traction-interlocking from crew cab doors,
• The use of CCTV as a secondary aid during the dispatch procedure, and;
• The RTBU Locomotive Division endorsement of the Clemens Report

The NIF depot tours commenced up north at Newcastle and Gosford depots, down to Eveleigh, out west to Lithgow, Mt Victoria, Katoomba and Springwood stations, then off down to Wollongong, Moss Vale and then finally back to Eveleigh for one more round.

Morning and afternoon sessions at all depots were conducted to provide members with the latest information, updates, and Q&A sessions that guaranteed a well-informed membership is an empowered membership.

Along the NIF tour, delegates, and members of the Guards sub-division and Operations Division also requested to attend the information sessions to listen and feedback to the Locomotive Division presentation. I am happy to inform you, that no member of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union is ever turned away from a meeting that promotes an operating model driven by a safety-based campaign for rail operations in NSW.

Additionally, many of those members requested to sign the petition and were allowed to do so, this we regard as a true sign of support and solidarity given to a unified union. I am also pleased to inform you; the Locomotive Division petition received an overwhelming positive response with members across the network adding their support to the paper.

Lastly, with the endorsement of the membership, the Locomotive Division will again continue to fight the fight that prioritises a safe train and attainable workload as the primary and driving factor for the introduction of the New InterCity Fleet.