Newsflash: Aurizon – Dirty Tricks

In another race to the bottom of the corporate world, in the Aurizon grain section, instead of using NSW  based Coal Crews as allowed for under the Coal Enterprise Agreement, Aurizon instead has sublet  NSW grain haulage to Trojan Labor Hire so as to pay lower wages and conditions.  

As if this was not bad enough, now that there has been a downturn in coal working and there is  insufficient work to keep all the coal employees gainfully employed, Aurizon have suggested to NSW  employees that they can take unpaid leave from their Aurizon employment and work for Trojan driving  Aurizon grain trains. This is so Aurizon can avoid paying employees their entitled Enterprise Agreement  terms and conditions and instead seek to undercut/undermine hard fought for and collectively won  working conditions including pay.  

This is a disgraceful act and one of the lowest we have seen by any employer for quite some time. 

The RTBU is currently reviewing this arrangement, to determine if legally anything can be done to stop  this regressive and mischaracterised method of employment, however on initial examination it would  appear this may be one of those occasions where big business can use dirty tricks and loopholes under  Government legislation to avoid Enterprise Agreement coverage. Government legislation allows parent  companies such as Aurizon (Aurizon Holdings Limited) to set up separate companies that are not part of  the Enterprise Agreement to supply labour, so as to avoid Enterprise Agreement coverage.  

Members will be updated as more information becomes available. In the interim we urge affected  members: 

• To talk to their local delegates and make clear to their manager/s that these dirty tricks are unacceptable, below community expectations, and is not reflective of a company that promotes decency and diversity, and
  
• Reject this underhanded attempt to have employees to undermine their own hard-fought conditions and pay at the expense of all their workmates who have collectively stoop up, fought for, and won industry standards.

Organisers are attempting to visit each site in the coming weeks to discuss concerns with  members.

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