Hundreds of freight, coal and passenger rail services are being delayed or disrupted in New South Wales and north-east Victoria after union workers began strike action on Wednesday morning.
The protected industrial action is a result of ongoing struggles between the Rail Tram and Bus Union and the Australian Rail Track Corporation.
The sides are working towards an enterprise agreement to cover roughly 580 staff in New South Wales.
But they at odds on several details of the new deal, after RTBU members rejected the ARTC’s initial offers in December, and rejected another draft proposal more recently.
The result is 16 forms of protected actions announced by the union to take place between 7am on August 3 and 7am on August 7 (Sunday), including two 24-hour stoppages.
ARTC chief executive John Fullerton said he expects the Hunter coal network “to come to a halt” for four straight days as a result of the action.
“We’re working closely with our customers to manage this process safely,” he said.
“We are disappointed these disruptions are being forced upon our customers and we apologise to them for the impacts, loss of custom and loss of freight this potentially means.
“We urge passenger train customers to plan ahead, check with their passenger operator and consider arranging alternative transport, particularly if they have any important appointments like Doctor visits.”
A full list of the expected action can be found on the ARTC website.
The ARTC says it has provided a new draft agreement to the union which proposes a 2% wage increase each year over the three year contract, and no loss of conditions.
The network owner says it is currently facing low interstate freight volumes and low coal prices.
“We are committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.” Fullerton said.
But the union’s NSW branch secretary Alex Claassens says the most recent offer from the ARTC is a backwards step in negotiations.
“Despite the fact that employees emphatically voted down the last enterprise agreement in December, ARTC has put another draft proposal to workers with a reduced offer that just takes negotiations backwards,” Claassens said on August 3.
“This dramatic and punitive action by the company ignores the views of its employees and employees’ willingness to negotiate to reach an agreement.”
Classens said the ARTC is not willing to address worker concerns.
“Workers just want a fair hearing,” he said.
“But from the beginning ARTC has been unwilling to budge.
“They’ve been hiding behind the federal government’s Workplace Bargaining Policy to demonstrate why they can’t give workers a better offer, but this is a document that ARTC is not even bound by.”
Claassens said many of the claims put forward by the union will come at “no cost to the company,” including fairer rostering principles, improved consultation with workers, and better dispute resolution.
He also said workers are “denied any breaks during an 8 hour shift,” another claim the union wants resolved.
He said the union regretted inconveniencing the public.
“We certainly didn’t want it to come to this, but unfortunately we’ve been left with no other option,” Claassens said.
“The workers simply can’t sit back and let the company refuse to make simple common sense changes that would improve working conditions.”
This sort of action just plays straight into the hands of the powerful road transport lobby. Railway transport is already fighting a losing battle it would seem. It doesn’t seem to bother the RTBU officials who will still have “jobs” long after the railway people have lost their employment.
Steven wake up and smell the roses. The union is as good or as bad as the membership. RTBU Officials have a job to do, just like their membership. If there is no membership then there is no need for officials. The bad guy here is NOT the union or it’s officials. BTW stop hiding behind your dog picture.
BTW – done.