RTBU Newsletter No 5 for Pacific National Members

FreightCorp EBA Negotiations -- Update. As members may be aware, the FreightCorp EBA (2001) expired on the 30th June 2002. Discussions with management regarding a new agreement have taken place.

The RTBU, AMWU, APESMA, AWU and the CEPU are conducting all negotiations with the company as a single bargaining unit coordinated by the Labor Council of NSW. These negotiations are confined only to those currently covered by the FreightCorp EBA.

The unions have put the position that the current agreement applying to the former FreightCorp employees should be rolled over on the basis of a 4% wage increase and no trade-offs.

Pacific National has presented the unions with a draft EBA proposal and a document detailing a series of "workplace initiatives" they are seeking to include. In addition management are seeking an expiry date of 30 June 2003 whereas the unions position is for an expiry date of 16 February 2003, to coincide with the expiry of the NRC EBA.

A copy of the "workplace initiatives" document is attached for the information of members. It is important to note that the unions have not agreed to any of these proposals.

At a meeting with Pacific National management on Thursday 11th July, the unions put the position that the company's proposals went further than a 'rolling over' of the current agreement.

The combined unions are therefore in dispute with Pacific National on these issues.

The unions will be consulting with their workplace delegates regarding the direction in which to proceed.

If you have any questions or queries in relation to any of the above, please contact either your respective Branch or the National Office for further information.

Specific workplace initiatives - Pacific National (Coal, Industrial and Grain Divisions) Enterprise Agreement 2002

Temporary train crew depots

From time to time, it is necessary for employees, particularly in the Grain and Industrial Divisions, to be temporarily directed to commence work at locations other than the depot where they usually commence work.

Pacific National will not direct an employee to commence work at such a location unless:

• prior to doing so, all reasonable efforts are made to obtain the relevant number of employees to commence work at the location concerned on a voluntary basis;
• at least 7 days notice of the temporary reassignment will be given;
• employees are paid the temporarily transferred allowance which is prescribed in the applicable Award; and such transfers are for a minimum of 7 days.

Sign-on locations

Where train crew in the Coal Division are to commence their shift within the confines of the Hunter Bulk Terminal or the Illawarra Bulk Terminal they may be directed to sign-on at any location within the terminals which is closest to the point where they will commence working.

Where train crew in the Industrial Division are to commence their shift within the Sydney metropolitan area, they may be directed to sign on at any location within that area which is closest to the point where they will commence working.

Rostering Issues

Shift lengths - train crew

The minimum shift length in respect of which payment is to be made to train crew employees is 4 hours.

In the case of two person operations the maximum shift length for which train crew employees may be rostered for any type of working is 12 hours. Provided that, where train crew are engaged in scheduled home passenger work, the existing shift length limitations shall remain.

Train crew advice periods

Train crew employees who have not been advised of their next rostered shift, at the time they sign-off, are currently contacted by the Rostering Officer during the relevant advice period to notify them if they are required to attend for work the following day.

Where a train crew employee has not been contacted by the Rostering Officer at the end of the relevant advice period, he/she must contact the Rostering Officer to ascertain whether they are required to attend work the following day.

Book-off days - train crew

A book-off day ("BOD") is a calendar day on which no sign-on for duty is required. Employees have an entitlement to three BOD's each fortnight on blank line rosters and four BOD's each fortnight on forecast line rosters. Where an additional day off ("ADO") is rostered in a particular fortnight, employees are entitled to an additional BOD.

Currently, Pacific National arranges its rosters so that:

• two BOD's are rostered contiguously in each fortnight, except in fortnights where an ADO is rostered, where three BOD's are rostered contiguously;
• employees sign-off, on a shift immediately proceeding a BOD, no later than 2400 hours and sign-on for the shift immediately after the BOD no earlier than 0600 hours.

Pacific National will alter these arrangements in its rosters to assist in managing fatigue and increasing efficiency. Accordingly, Pacific National may roster BOD's in any sequence so long as:

• no work is performed for a period of 30 hours from the sign-off on the shift immediately proceeding the BOD;
• where two or more BOD's are rostered contiguously, no work is performed for a period of 24 hours on the second and each subsequent BOD.

Dedicated crews

Pacific National may change the rostering arrangements applying to some train crew employees by establishing dedicated crews to service the needs of the business.

To that end, there may be circumstances where train crew are unable to be rostered for the first available sign-on at a depot other than the depot where they usually start work.

In these circumstances, Pacific National will consult with the affected employees and the union about the change. When rostering employees to dedicated crews, all reasonable steps will be taken to accommodate employee preferences.

Workplace flexibility

Pacific National may direct any employee to perform the duties for which they are competent. Specifically:

Train crew

Pacific National has not, since it acquired the assets of Freightcorp, directed train crew to conduct shunting and train examination duties at those locations where terminal operations staff are rostered to perform these duties. Pacific National may direct train crew to perform these duties.

Pacific National has not, since it acquired the assets of Freightcorp, directed train crew to top up oil, fuel and sand locomotives where other staff have been specifically rostered to perform these duties. Pacific National may direct train crew to perform these duties.

Terminal operators

Pacific National has not, since it acquired the assets of Freightcorp, directed terminal operators to conduct train preparation duties, including taking train loads and train brake continuity testing, at some locations where train crew are rostered to perform these duties. Pacific National may direct terminal operators to perform these duties.

Fleet maintenance employees

Employees classified as engineering operators perform repair and maintenance work on locomotives and wagons. There are some locations where these employees only perform this work on locomotives or wagons.

Pacific National may utilise employees classified as engineering operators to perform repair and maintenance work on locomotives and/or wagons to suit operational requirements.