Rail Train – Enterprise Agreement Update for Rail Shuttle Services Members at St Mary’s Depot

On Monday 28 March 2022, the RTBU Locomotive Division and your Enterprise Agreement Delegates finally received an  updated Enterprise Agreement from Rail Train Management that was promised by close of business on Wednesday 23^rd March 2022.  

Rail Train Management have advised that this is their “totality offer” and their “final” position on all outstanding matters.  As a sign of purported good faith, Rail Train Management have now included an incentive “Sign on Bonus” for employees  employed prior to the 31^st March 2022 of $2,500, less applicable tax, only if the Enterprise Agreement is voted in by  Members by 31^st May 2022 and commences operation prior to 30^th June 2022. In addition to this, Full time employees  will receive 5 shirts and paid Domestic Violence Leave. 

We were expecting higher rates of pay in this offer and job security, but instead received shirts and a bribe.  

What Rail Train Management have failed to recognise is that the proposed Enterprise Agreement has been voted down  twice due to several issues, which they have not changed since the last vote. They have advised that there is nothing left  in the bucket but have refused to show us the proof. Remember, Rail Train did find the money to pay lawyers to fight  you in the Commission every step of the way.  

Issues with Wages and other issues that the Company have refused to change: 

• The proposed rates of pay have not changed since 30th September 2021
• There are still 2 different rates of pay. One for Permanent employees and a lower one for Casuals (effectively making it cheaper to employ casuals than permanent full-time)
• Overtime rate remains at 1.3x your hourly rate for Permanent employess
• Public Holiday rate remains at 1.5x your hourly rate for Permanent employees
• Yearly wage increase remains largely based on WPI (although since September the increase has been amended to WPI or 1.5%, whichever is highter)
• Proposed rates of pay are less than what is being offered in current IFA’s
• No automatic progression to Locomotive Driver
• Trauma Leave remains at 3 days and any more days are based on Management Discretion
• No prior notice if Rail Train want to stand you down
• No site rates clause for employees outside of the Rail Train Group, allowing any conditions in the Enterprise Agreement to be undercut

We know that Rail Train will send out the proposed Enterprise Agreement for you to vote on before the expected  deadline of the incentive bonus. At the same time, they have engaged lawyers to fight your right to take industrial  action in the Fair Work Commission. 

Is this incentive worth selling out what you should be getting every day in better wages and conditions? We say NO to  their inferior Enterprise Agreement. That $2,500 should be incorporated into everyone’s wages, rather than as a one off bribe. You have voted down their Enterprise Agreement, not once, but twice and you should keep voting down any  proposed agreement until they have fixed all the above – remember industrial action is likely to start shortly and will  assist you bargaining for the issues identified above.

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