
Issue No 72		06 October 2000

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News

Interstate Rail Workers Rebel Against AWAs

Members of the Rail Tram & Bus Union held demonstrations at capital city stations this week, demanding British multinational Serco negotiate a collective agreement.

Serco employ the train crews employed on the Indian Pacific, The Ghan and The Overland through a subsidiary, Great Southern Railway. On-train workers have been pushing for a collective agreement since June.

Roger Jowett, National Secretary of the Rail Tram and Bus Union says the clear preference of the overwhelming majority of the train crews is for a collective agreement.

'Serco has persistently threatened worker's jobs and pay if they refuse to sign the AWAs offered to them", he says.

Serco employees were forced to sign individual contracts when the Australian National Railways were sold off in 1997. These workers experienced pay cuts, increased hours of work, and lost their right to independent representation by their union. The Personnel Director's word was final in the event of any dispute. These AWAs expire at the end of November this year.

After an initial meeting between the RTBU and Serco in July this year, Serco sent a letter saying that they would no longer meet with the union.

Serco then offered a new AWA four months early, with a covering letter telling employees who did not want to sign: "Let us Know so that your position can be offered to some-one else".

The RTBU immediately informed members that the company's position was illegal. Serco then issued a new letter acknowledging that they were wrong to suggest workers would lose their jobs, but instead they stated that if a worker did not sign the new AWA, they would have to work on lower rates of pay and conditions as set out in the safety net Award.

The union asked the Federal Court for an injunction to stop Serco offering the new AWA and making threats.

The day before the hearing in the Federal Court, Serco agreed to withdraw the AWAs, and to put out a covering letter with a new AWA offer. But it would not agree to collective bargaining.

Since then, the workers have refused to sign the new AWAs and called on their union to try to resume collective bargaining talks with Serco.

Roger Jowett says an overwhelming majority of employees have signed petitions that clearly state their desire for a union-negotiated collective agreement.

"The workers have withstood the campaign of misinformation and intimidation waged by the company, and have remained firm in their conviction that they have a right to exercise their choice to represented by their union in negotiations for a better deal,' he says.

The RTBU is asking other unionists to join in this campaign by writing, faxing or emailing to Mr Stephen Bradford, CEO Great Southern Railway, Level 18, 535 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000. Fax: (03) 9243 5665. Email: [email protected], to express support for the on-train workers in their effort to have a union-negotiated collective agreement.

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Issue 72 contents

Interview: Taking It To The Union Busters
ACTU Assistant Secretary Richard Marles talks to Workers Online about turning back the anti-union sentiment growing in the business community, responsible unionism and the sense of fun to be found at the ACTU.

International: The White Knights
The International Labour Organisation has become the great hope for those fighting to give globalisation a human face. Australian Bob Kyloh is one of those working with trade unions within the ILO to make it happen.

Politics: Industrial Democracy for Australia
Glenn Patmore argues we need new forms of employee representation in the workplace to broaden employee participation.

Unions: Behind The Scenes
In a small office at Homebush Bay, as the world focused on all that was positive about our games, Unions 2000 and SOCOG officials worked tirelessly to ensure that no worker was ripped off. Chris Christoudoulou reports.

Satire: Parade of Icons �Could Have Included Even More Ex-Aussies� Say Critics
The selection of Greg Norman, Paul Hogan and Elle Macpherson to represent Australia in the �Parade of Icons� during the Closing Ceremony of the Sydney Games last night has prompted a storm of complaints from other famous former Australians.

Review: Elliott Smiths Figure 8
Smith is basically the secret love child of the fab four and it�s so blatantly obvious. That�s not a bad thing because one thing Lennon and McCartney were reknown for was there ability to pen catchy tunes.

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