Rail Entities Table Offer

At the latest EA meeting the rail entities tabled the following offer to the CRU (Combined Rail Unions):

1. two (2) agreements, one for Sydney Trains and all employees of RailCorp (including those assigned to Transport Cleaning Services) and one for New South Wales Trains;
2. 3.0% per year paid from certification;
3. back pay will be calculated at the rate of 2.27% not 3.0%.  The 3.0% is paid once the agreement is approved by the Fair Work Commission and there being no industrial action.

What The Rail Entities Are Seeking

For the pay increase the rail entities are seeking the following changes to the current EA:

• removal of clauses 47. Voluntary Redundancy/Management of Excess Employees and 26. Salary Maintenance with the inclusion of the Governments “Managing Excess Employees Policy”;

• inclusion of a facilitative clause which will enable reforms to occur in each functional area and will require a vote of affected members.  (The CRU will seek legal advice on whether this clause meets the requirements of the Fair Work Act); and

• there are a number of other clauses the rail entities are seeking to amend in the core which they will provide to the CRU on Wednesday, 30 April 2014.

Next Steps

Once these clauses have been provided the following meetings have been organised to consider the clauses and the offer in its entirety:

1. Wednesday, 30 April 2014 rail entities provide all amended clauses to CRU.
2. Thursday, 8 and Friday, 9 May 2014 CRU caucuses to consider clauses and their implications on current working conditions.
3. Tuesday, 13 May 2014 the CRU and rail entities meet to clarify outstanding issues.
4. Tuesday, 20 May 2014 delegates briefing followed by workplace briefings of members as the CRU has previously committed to do.