QUBE Enterprise Agreement Update

As members would be aware, the successor QUBE 2020 Enterprise Agreement was recently endorsed by the majority of the employees/members; the vote being 57 YES to 44 NO.

The Enterprise Agreement includes several changes including the following:

1. Wage Increases
   1. 6% from 1st May 2020 – with back pay once certified by the Fair Work Commission
   1. 3.5% from 1st April 2021
   1. 3.5% from 1st April 2022 (this equates to 13% over three (3) years)
2. Increases in Wasted and Barracks Meals,
3. Clarity for overtime in the Lift up/ Lay Back clause, and;
4. An additional Depot added for the new Port Kembla working.

Even though the EA was endorsed by members/employees, the close result should be a wakeup call to Management that employees are not happy with the Company’s decision to take full back pay off the table which had previously been agreed and later reneged on by QUBE.

Whilst Your EA Negotiating Team argued consistently to have the full backpay included in the package, members should be aware it was QUBE, instead of continuing to consult, put their roadshow Agreement out for a vote to employees/members without the endorsement of the Locomotive Division.

Irrespective of the vote outcome and the understandable frustration from members, the Agreement will be in force until 31st March 2023, that guarantees given the current period of national and global economic uncertainty members have some certainty of a ‘locked in’ annual wage increases and enhanced conditions of employment. We should all use this period to strengthen in the workplace with your local Locomotive Division sub-division committee to hold QUBE accountable to enforce your EA and their back pay decision.

Now is not the time to splinter and/or weaken your unionised workplace and provide QUBE the opportunity to undermine your solidarity, unity and strength, especially at a time when your power will be needed more than ever over the next coming few years.

Click here to download the full update.