Sydney and NSW Trains Enterprise Agreement Proposal

Dear members,

This afternoon, Transport for NSW, Sydney Trains, and NSW Trains called a snap meeting to discuss the expiry of the enterprise agreements.

Disappointingly, with no consultation, a proposal was put on the table for a 6 month extension to the enterprise agreement with a 0.3% pay rise for a 12 month period. Under this proposal, members would keep all their existing conditions including the redeployment and redundancy deed.

It would also prevent you from taking protected industrial action for the duration of the 6 month extension.

A variation to an enterprise agreement under the Fair Work Act 2009 still has to be put to a vote of all employees, and approved by the Fair Work Commission.

However, under this process, members are not able to sit at the bargaining table and are not able to take any industrial action to support their claims. Essentially, this is a process dictated by your employer denying you any opportunity to bargain.

We understand that your employer will be communicating with you this afternoon about this proposal. It is disappointing that we weren’t allowed to speak to you about it first. This afternoon was the first that we have heard of this proposal and it has not been agreed to by the RTBU or the Combined Union group.

If you have any questions about the above, please contact your organiser.