QUBE Protected Industrial Action to start on Thursday

QUBE Management have not contacted your Union since Wednesday 12th July 2023, and as such we believe that QUBE do not want to resolve your Enterprise Agreement and are quite prepared for you to start Protected Industrial at 0001hrs this Thursday. While this is very disappointing, it is not surprising, it appears that QUBE don’t care about you or their customers. 

The offer that was agreed to on 26 June 2023 in the Fair Work Commission, to which your EA Delegate Team committed their support to a “yes” vote, should be honoured by QUBE Management. 

The 4 Protected Industrial Actions that start at 0001hrs Thursday are: 

1. An indefinite ban on RTBU members covered by the Orders operating a train of more than 12 wagons during any local or shuttle working, continuing indefinitely. 

2. An indefinite ban on RTBU members covered by the Orders accepting Lift-up or Lay-back changes to their start times, continuing indefinitely. 

3. An indefinite ban on RTBU members covered by the Orders shunting more than 12 wagons at a time, continuing indefinitely. 

4. An indefinite ban on RTBU members covered by the Orders on any form of mainline working except Single Locomotive Working, continuing indefinitely. 

This is your time to stand united and tell QUBE that you are sick of their consistent display of cowardly reversals, bullying tactics, and deceit, and to honour the deal reached on 26 June 2023. 

Remember, if you work a shift, you will be paid. The only occasion on which members won’t be paid for participating in industrial action is if you don’t do any work at all. It is wage theft if QUBE do not pay you if you work a shift. 

There have been some questions surrounding the Protected Industrial Action Items. 

Question – Can there be more than 1 Locomotive on the Train?

Answer – Yes, so long as it’s not powering and is considered part of the Train Load. 

Question – What happens if I relieve a Train and it has more than 12 Wagons? 

Answer – You advise Train Control and Live Run that you will be detaching wagons at the earliest possible safe location and then continue towards your destination. 

Question – What happens if I relieve a Train on the Main Line and it has more than 1 powering Locomotive and the Train Load will be over the prescribed limit for 1 powering Locomotive? 

Answer – You advise Train Control and Live Run that you will be detaching wagons at the earliest possible safe location and then continue towards your destination. 

Question – What happens if QUBE advises me that I must take a Train over the Protected Industrial Items, e.g. more than 1 Powering Locomotive or more than 12 Wagons during Local/Shuttle Working? 

Answer – You advise QUBE that you are participating in Protected Industrial Action and continue working on the Protected Industrial Items. 

Question – What happens if I work a train to a different location than my Home Depot and QUBE Stands me down? 

Answer – QUBE still have a Duty of Care to return you to your Home Depot and you will be paid for the Travelling Time back to your Home Depot. 

Question – What happens if I’m working with a Non-Union Member? 

Answer – You continue to work to the Protected Industrial Action Items. 

Keep bringing up questions and we will answer them as above. Remember, being united is the strongest position possible and it sends a clear message to QUBE that enough is enough. 

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