Passenger Rail, Workforce, Certification & Training

RTBU, Metro Trains reach in principle enterprise deal

Metro Trains Comeng EMU. Photo: Zed Fitzhume / Creative Commons

The Rail Tram & Bus Union (RTBU) has announced an in-principle agreement has been reached in its ongoing negotiations with Metro Trains Melbourne over a new enterprise agreement for its operations workforce.

RTBU secretary Luba Grigorovitch welcomed the agreement, but said it had taken longer than necessary to reach.

“In beggars belief that it took Metro six months to finally agree to what is largely an unchanged enterprise agreement,” Grigorovitch said on October 21.

“This agreement protects and maintains workers’ long-standing conditions as well as introducing new clauses to the agreement.

“Just as importantly, the new agreement also introduces a uniform disciplinary procedure and improved consultation and dispute resolution procedures, ensuring our members will be treated more fairly at work.”

Grigorovitch described the in-principle deal “a win for the membership,” and said the union “is proud of the result”.

“It is however regrettable that Metro dragged this process out so long and forced RTBU members to take industrial action,” she campaigned.

“This agreement ensures that an appropriate balance has been struck between protecting our members’ conditions and laying the best foundation possible so Melbourne can have a world-class transport system.”

Union officials will now conduct workplace visits to brief members on the new deal.

Enterprise agreement negotiations are still underway for a further two enterprise agreements, covering Metro’s rolling stock and infrastructure divisions.