LocoTV: 21 October

Hear the latest on the NSW Trains uniform saga, the dispute of driver trainer numbers at Sydney Trains, the PN Coal employee monitoring plan, and the Rail Entities EA briefing meetings in this edition of LocoTV.

1.

Concerns have been raised over the number of driver trainers and principle drivers at Sydney Trains.

As part of the RailCorp agreement, the agreed number of driver trainers is 100, and principle drivers is 8, however Sydney Trains has recently fallen well below that.

The shortfall is having a significant impact on trainees, with reports that some graduations have had to be postponed as a result of the lack of trainers.

Stay tuned for information as this matter progresses.

2.

The consultation over the new NSW Trains uniforms collapsed recently, after management ignored members concerns about the suitability of the uniforms.

After several months of discussions, NSW Trains told the consultation committee that the executive had decided on what workers will wear, based simply on the premise that “they look smart”.

The new uniform includes a short that was unanimously rejected by the committee and members and trousers that have been deemed too hot to wear in even moderate temperatures.

The new uniforms are not agreed to or endorsed in any way of the Loco Division and the union is currently looking at dispute options.

3.

Pacific National NSW Coal recently made a shock announcement that it intends to progress a range of matters relating to employee monitoring.

That’s despite the fact that the company recently confirmed that it would not progress the monitoring issue any further.

The proposed monitoring systems include forward facing cameras on all locos, GPS systems in all road vehicles and rapid eye movement detection.

The Loco Division has now requested that a consultation take place before the changes are introduced.

4.

And finally, there have been further discussions this week between Sydney and New South Wales Trains, RailCorp and the Combined Rail Unions.

The employers have continued to push the need for extensive changes to existing conditions and methods of rostering, arrangements for penalties, hours and payments.

The unions noted this is done in the name of flexibility and customer benefit but nothing in the name of employees.

Next week delegates from the Combined Rail Unions will aim to draft a log of claims to be taken to member workplace meetings for endorsement.