Rail & Maritime Transport Union Volume 2011 # 12
Published Regularly - ISSN 1178-7392 (Print & Online) 16 Sept 2011 OTIRA HITS THE FAN wage for sleepover shifts. Over 98% have voted in favour of the deal. Over 60 There have been a series of fan failures meetings of Service and Food Workers Union within the Otira Tunnel on the Midland Line. members have voted on an offer to settle The tunnel has 2 fans fitted and this is the 10-year dispute before a Supreme Court meant to provide safety redundancy in the hearing set down for 13 September. event of a failure. The difficulty arises when SFWU National Secretary John Ryall said the 1 fan is out of action and the second fails settlement, which would ensure the full with a train in the tunnel. The effects are minimum age was paid for workers doing immediate. The (up ‘sleepover’ shifts to 5 Dxb/r) loco’s by the end of overheat and starve 2012 was a for oxygen and victory for low- shutdown. The loco paid workers. Engineers are immediately at risk. The settlement, totalling more The Union and its than $100million, members are provides for 50% reconsidering the of workers’ back wisdom of entering pay claims to be the tunnel with 1 paid and ensures fan inoperative. The sleepover shifts Union has called for will be paid at the the immediate full minimum convening of the wage by the end of 2012. The cost of the Otira Tunnel Council and the consideration settlement will be shared by Government of an independent analysis of the current and the IHC. safety framework and provisions for train operation. There are lots of tunnel experts Now Cabinet has signed off the deal, the in NZ currently and so it should not be only part of the process left is for Parliament difficult to source one to undertake the to pass legislation and extend the settlement exercise. to other providers than IHC. 98% OF UNION MEMBERS BACK “This is a really great outcome, not only for workers, but for those requiring support and SLEEPOVER MINIMUM WAGE their families,” said John Ryall. “After a long DEAL struggle it is good to see government investing in this sector.” Around 1700 disability support and community mental health workers have LYTTELTON PORT COLLECTIVE voted nearly unanimously to accept a AGREEMENT RATIFIED revised Government offer to end their long- running struggle to be paid the minimum The RMTU-MUNZ Collective Agreement with
Authorised by The Rail & Maritime Transport Union Inc, Level 1, Tramways Building, 1 Thorndon Quay, Wellington.
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Lyttelton Port was ratified by an be received in the Unions National overwhelming majority of members at a Office by 0900hrs Monday 17 October joint union meeting on 15 September. 2011 The deal delivers a 4% wage increase WA TRAIN DRIVERS STRIKE immediately, 3% of which is backdated to the expiry of the previous collective QR National train drivers (a number of whom agreement in April. There are two further are ex NZ LE’s) have been striking since increases of 3% in both September 2012 June over pay and shift hours. Western and September 2013. Australia’s 2011/12 harvest is expected to break records in several zones making it This means that in less than two years from vital that grain is moved promptly to port now members’ pay will have increased by and a reliable rail service is in place. 10.36%. A Rail industry source that requested not to Whilst the negotiation process was be named told Rail Express that QR National disrupted by earthquakes and snowstorms, train drivers in WA are seeking parity with it was also prolonged by the Employer their Queensland counterparts, who are tabling a list of clawbacks that the unions’ being paid more. “There is about six to eight negotiators had to fight off. weeks before this becomes a real issue for The fact we got this deal without having to transporting the state’s harvest by rail, so accept clawbacks or taking industrial action QR National has a small window of is testimony to the bargaining strength of a opportunity to come to the table,” the source fully unionised workforce. said. KR INDUSTRIAL COUNCIL A QR National spokesperson told Rail Express the company is “disappointed” that NOMINATIONS RECALL – some of its WA depots had taken industrial PASSENGER 2011 - 2013 action, given it was in the middle of a negotiation process with employees’ As no nominations were bargaining representatives. received for the following 2 “We continue to bargain in good positions nominations are faith and have provided recalled for those positions employees with a 4% pay on the KiwiRail Passenger increase in July to ensure they Industrial Council. are not disadvantaged while Yard Operations negotiations continue,” the spokesperson said. If you are employed by KiwiRail Ltd in a Terminal This proposal was rejected by Operations capacity in the RTBU members. Passenger Group then you are eligible for nomination for INFRASTRUCTURE this position. WORKERS PROTECTION Scale 1 Recent events have prompted the need to If you are employed by KiwiRail Ltd in a remind all those involved in track protection capacity which is paid under payscale 1 in to make sure all processes are followed and Passenger Group then you are eligible for not rely on any assumptions. The nomination for this position. importance of reliable protection for infrastructure workers is very clear – Nominations must be moved and unreliable protection puts their lives at risk! seconded by current financial Union Ideally we would have physical barriers to members who are employed within the stop a train entering a worksite when it is same area for which the nominee is not clear and while there have been being nominated for and an acceptance prototypes of electronic detonators and of nomination signed by the nominee. static train stop for the Wellington Electrified Correctly completed Nominations must
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Area, physical barriers can still ineffective if LYTTELTON PORT COMPANY CITY clearance is wrongly given. There have been a number of near hits so we must DEPOT DISPUTE GOES TO stop this trend now. Communication plans EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS and clearly defined responsibilities for giving clearance within each team are AUTHORITY essential. Remember even if the workload Lyttelton Port runs an operation on the is big and workers are rushed for planning, Christchurch side of the Lyttelton Tunnel safety must come first! that is an extension of the Port. 168 GLITCHES MAR CHINA ’S The RMTU has recently recruited all of the HIGH -SPEED RAIL Forklift Operators on this job. They’re paid up to $7 an hour lower than workers on the An internal report by China’s ministry of other side of the hill despite, in our view, railways has revealed the country’s high- falling under coverage of the LPC Combined speed railways experienced 168 “glitches” Unions Agreement. in the month of July alone. The Company is refusing to accept these High-speed trains manufactured by members are part of the Combined Unions CNR experienced the most problems , Agreement. with the ministry’s transport bureau On one level it’s a narrow legal argument. identifying 56 malfunctions occurring on On another, human, level it’s about eight trains built by CNR’s Changchun unit and a families getting a decent wage. further 30 issues with trains built by the company’s We’re off to the Employment Tangshan unit. Relations Authority to get a determination. If the Authority 106 out of the 168 issues were agrees with us these members reportedly caused by “design will get a well -deserved boost in and manufacturing quality their pay. problems”. No-one wants to have to fight in The report was an internal court over matters like this. If we do, it’s notice to Chinese local railway officials and good to know that one of the benefits of trains manufacturers, and was then picked union membership is having the support and up by the country’s official China Daily representation that enables us to do so. newspaper. The report identified issues with trains built FIJI GOVT IMPLEMENTS ANTI - by four high-speed train manufacturers in UNION DECREE total, including CSR, China Daily reported. Fiji’s military-led government has In August the Chinese Government implemented a harshly punitive decree announced that it would suspend approval designed to virtually outlaw trade union of all new railway construction projects, activities and further crush dissent. The slow down all of the country’s high-speed Essential National Industries (Employment) trains and commence safety checks on its Decree 2011, ENI, was enacted on 9 high-speed railways in the wake of the fatal September, despite months of protests and high-speed train collision near the city of warnings across the Asia Pacific region that Wenzhou in July that killed 40 people and it is illegal, indefensible and dooms any injured over 200. attempt to return the nation to democracy. The collision has raised major concerns Fiji’s government was installed by a coup in around the globe over the country’s fast- 2006. In 2009 the then president suspended growing high-speed rail sector. the country’s constitution, dismissed the NOTE: CNR manufacture the Court of Appeal and introduced public Locomotives and wagons purchased by emergency regulations. These restrict KiwiRail. freedom of expression and the right to
16/09/11 4 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist peaceful assembly and have reportedly “The performance of the freight business been used alongside a campaign of during this time was particularly intimidation to silence opposition. Decree encouraging,” said John Spencer KR Board 35, the Essential National Industries Chair. “We experienced growth in all freight (Employment) Decree, ENI, will allow the trading categories, bulk, domestic and government to outlaw effective unions, import/export, despite lost coal volumes due nullify long standing collective bargaining to Pike River and a dry milk season in the agreements and sack union officials. lower North Island.” According to the Fiji Trades Union Congress “Freight revenue increased by eight per cent (FTUC) four industries and 11 corporations to almost $400 million, which is will now come under the ENI decree, approximately 60 per cent of the company’s including aviation employer, Air Pacific. overall revenue.” ITF general secretary, David Cockroft “Of particular interest is the increase in stated: “Declaring Air Pacific as an essential revenue for import/export freight of almost service on an island with plenty of 13 per cent, despite subdued economic competition from foreign carriers is clearly conditions, and a 22% increase in nonsense. It proves, yet again, that this agricultural produce volumes.” latest action by the Fijian regime is aimed Mr Spencer said Interislander business had at destroying the trade union movement in increased revenue by over $2.7 million, but Fiji. The international trade union the long distance passenger business had movement is on alert and we will not stand produced a decrease in revenue by just over by and watch workers’ rights being 24 per cent due to the Christchurch destroyed.” earthquakes. ITF president Paddy “Unfortunately we Crumlin commented: “We had to suspend the condemn the action of the Coastal Pacific Fijian military dictatorship service for six in the strongest possible months after the terms. The human rights of February all Fijians are being earthquake,” he crushed.” said. “But this service and the He concluded: “We intend Tranz Alpine will get to take lawful international the benefit of new solidarity action in carriages this year conjunction with which should result international unions, in an increase in human rights activists and future revenue,” he community support said. groups. Trade unionists around the world are outraged by the “While Tranz Metro did improve revenue by continued repression of human and four per cent we still have work to do to workers' rights by the Bainimarama military improve service levels on the Wellington regime.” Metro network. Now that the Matangi fleet is being introduced and the Wellington network SCENE SET FOR KIWIRAIL upgrade is largely complete, we are MECA TALKS IN 2012 achieving improvements in on time performance.” KiwiRail’s operating surplus, before Mr Spencer said while the year’s depreciation and grant income, was just performance was positive, the results were over $100 million, an increase of 28.9% on below the Statement of Corporate Intent the previous year. Operating revenue also (SCI) targets. Operating revenue of $667 increased despite the difficult operating million is 2.6% lower than the SCI conditions to $667 million, an increase of projection, with an EBITDA result of $100 2.6%. million, compared to $120.8 million.
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Over the next year, KiwiRail is looking to The overall Consumer Price Index remains increase revenue and continue to manage high at 5.3 percent. operating and capital expenditure. Mr Peter Conway said that wages will need to Spencer said KiwiRail is optimistic that the rise simply to keep up with the cost of living revenue target for the 2011-12 year of and the Government will need to take the $737 million can be achieved if normal steep rise in prices into account when they operating conditions are experienced. review the minimum wage which is already TRACK WARRANT LIMITS too low. Unions will argue that the minimum wage should be at least $15 an hour. Following the breaching of TW limits in several incidents where the limits had been THE TOP 10 SLIP -PRONE SITES issued to the rear of a signal or indicator, ON WELLINGTON 'S METRO TRAIN KR have issued briefings to Train Controllers to cease this practice. The NETWORK : issuing of Track Warrants with limits to the Kapiti line: 26.1km from Wellington - rear of signals/indicators under normal between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay circumstances for a train is not permitted. stations The practice is still used for Johnsonville line: 2.8km Hi Rail vehicles, unusual from Wellington - alongside circumstances, break downs Hutt Road etc. Wairarapa line: 49.4km from The RMTU has advised KR Wellington - near the that we will actively advise Rimutaka tunnel LE’s not to accept TW limits to the rear of Johnsonville line: 3.5km signals/indicators unless there are unusual from Wellington - between Wadestown and circumstances. DON’T DO IT LE’S! Crofton Downs station FOOD PRICE RISES HAVE Kapiti line: 9.9km from Wellington - near Johnsonville OUTSTRIPPED WAGE Johnsonville line: 3.7km from Wellington - INCREASES between Wadestown and Crofton Downs station The annual increase in food prices of 6.6 percent in the August 2011 year has Kapiti line: 11.1km from Wellington - by outstripped wage increases of just 1.9 Johnsonville percent as shown in the Labour Cost Johnsonville line: 3.9km from Wellington - Index”, says CTU Secretary Peter Conway. between Kaiwharawhara and Ngauranga Peter Conway said “unfortunately it is low Kapiti line: 25.8km from Wellington - income families who spend a higher between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay proportion of their income on food and stations necessities that bear the brunt of these price rises. They also largely missed out on Johnsonville line: 4.4km from Wellington - the tax cuts since 2008 which saw the top before Crofton Downs station 10 percent get tax cuts worth $2.5 billion a year while GST increases forced up the cost LYTTELTON PORT COMPANY CITY of living”. DEPOT DISPUTE GOES TO The increase in annual food prices for the EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS August year is down from the 7.9 percent increase for the year to July 2011 but is AUTHORITY still having a major effect on households. Lyttelton Port runs an operation on the For instance, fruit and vegetable prices are Christchurch side of the Lyttelton Tunnel up by 13.2 percent. that is an extension of the Port.
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The RMTU has recently recruited all of the confidence that they will do anything to raise Forklift Operators on this job. They’re paid student achievement. up to $7 an hour lower than workers on the Mr Leckie says “considering that lack of other side of the hill despite, in our view, confidence and the level of concern and falling under coverage of the LPC Combined frustration about the implementation of Unions Agreement. National Standards, we know that given a The Company is refusing to accept these choice, schools would move swiftly to dump members are part of the Combined Unions them.” Agreement. Polling also shows that an overwhelming On one level it’s a narrow legal argument. majority of principals, teachers and parents On another, human, level it’s about eight are very worried by the prospect of league families getting a decent wage. tables and believe it will be unfair to compare schools based on ‘National We’re off to the Employment Relations Standards’ information. Authority to get a determination. If the Authority agrees Ian Leckie says with us these because of the lack members will get a of consistency in well -deserved the way ‘National boost in their pay. Labour years Standards’ are being applied No-one wants to around the country have to fight in there can be court over matters nothing national like this. If we do, about them. it’s good to know that one of the "Any policy which benefits of union would stop membership is having the support and unreliable student achievement information representation that enables us to do so. being collected centrally will be welcomed". LABOUR ’S POLICY WILL SPELL Labour’s policy shows trust and confidence in the ability of schools to set high expectations A WELCOME END TO ‘N ATIONAL for their students, measure their progress STANDARDS ’ against robust assessment tools and encourage learning based on the curriculum Labour’s just-released policy to raise and the individual child. student achievement in primary schools will “Once schools are no longer required to use spell a welcome end to ‘National ‘National Standards’, they will quickly be Standards’, says the education sector union tossed aside and go down in history as a NZEI Te Riu Roa. failed educational experiment,” says Mr Under the policy, schools would monitor Leckie. and track student progress against their own school expectations, and would not be FIGURES CONFIRM UNION required to implement ‘National Standards’. CONCERNS ABOUT WOOD “This would mean schools could refocus ROCESSING NDUSTRY student learning back on the curriculum P I and allow them to rely on robust and tested A union representing wood processing assessment practices to measure student workers says concerns it expressed last achievement,” says NZEI President Ian week about the state of the wood industry Leckie. have been confirmed by manufacturing Hundreds of school communities have been figures out today. bullied into minimal compliance with Statistics New Zealand’s manufacturing ‘National Standards’ but have no survey reports a 0.8 per cent decline in the volume of wood and paper product
16/09/11 7 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist manufacturing sales in the June 2011 OVER CUTS TO NON -CONTACT quarter. The sector has declined three out of the past four quarters. HOURS Despite upbeat talk at an industry Kindergarten teachers have rejected their conference in Rotorua last week, the NDU latest settlement offer and are sending a voiced concern that production was clear message to the government over plans declining, sawmills were closing and to cut two hours of their non-contact, workers were losing jobs. professional release time. NDU General Secretary Robert Reid said They have been in pay negotiations for more that the union was dealing regularly with than six months. wood processing job losses, including The Union says the main sticking point is several in recent weeks in Kawerau, around an attempt by the Ministry of Tangiwai and Fielding, and was aware of Education and kindergarten employers to closures and reduced hours in other areas. take away two hours of valuable non-contact Robert Reid said government action was time for teachers in sessional kindergartens. needed to stop the wood processing NZEI is encouraging the government and industry declining further. employers to return to the negotiating table “Once again, we ask the Minister of as soon as possible in the hope of resolving Forestry what action he is taking to ensure the issue. the survival of the wood processing industry, and that New Zealand has enough GOVT NEEDS TO STOP THE WAR wood processing capacity to fill the demand ON AUCKLAND which will come from the Canterbury rebuild over the next few Green Party Co-leader Dr years,” he said. Russel Norman today called on the Government to end the war “It is no good to hope on Auckland, and work with and wait for local timber Aucklanders and the Auckland to be used in the Council to improve transport in Canterbury rebuild, if our largest city. there are no processors left to manufacture the “This Government continues to wood required.” sabotage the partnership between central government Robert Reid said the and our largest city, as union, which also represented textile witnessed most recently by the attempt to workers, was also worried with today’s humiliate Mayor Len Brown by unilaterally figures for textile, leather, clothing and taking over the waterfront without even footwear manufacturing, which has also telling the Mayor first. been in decline three out of the past four quarters, and was down 2.2 per cent in the “A strong partnership is what is most needed June quarter. to deliver a decent transport system and a successful Rugby World Cup,” said Dr “We are concerned about what affect this Norman. may have on workers in the textiles sector over the next few months, at a time when Dr Norman was responding to the New Zealand carpet manufacturers should Government’s surprise takeover of the also be increasing production to meet the Auckland waterfront under special powers in demand from the Canterbury rebuild,” the Rugby World Cup legislation. Robert Reid said. “The Government basically planned a party KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS in downtown Auckland, invited everyone to attend, didn’t provide sufficient resources, REJECT SETTLEMENT OFFER and now is blaming the city for the chaos that ensued.
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“It’s common courtesy, when throwing a A meeting between delegates and the party at someone else’s place, to work company is set down for 22 September. constructively with the hosts, who in this case are the people of Auckland, CTU-AFFILIATED HEALTH represented by their democratically elected SECTOR UNIONS AND DHBS council. AGREE ON A PROPOSED “The biggest irony is that the Government wants to lay the blame of the failure of SETTLEMENT public transport with Auckland, when for The Council of Trade Unions’ (CTU) affiliated the better part of the decade, Auckland has unions in the health sector and the 20 been begging for greater investment in nationwide DHBs have agreed to a proposed public transport. collective agreement settlement for the next “The public transport failure on Friday two years. night is indicative of the failure of The CTU-affiliated health sector unions have successive Governments, both National- around 55,000 members, approximately and Labour-led, to make smart transport 80% of the DHB workforce. The proposed investments in Auckland. settlement covers a range of employees who “It is disgraceful that the Auckland rail contribute to the delivery of public health network could not cope with 60,000 services and covers 50 collective passengers, when a agreements. low density city like The proposal is about to Perth regularly go to union members for carries more than ratification. twice that number on its rail network. The proposed settlement includes monetary and “The only thing non-monetary elements standing in the way which address common of a smart transport issues across all 10 system in Auckland unions, such as pay and is this Government, leave conditions, and which is planning to union specific issues spend a pitiful $25m relevant to each union a year for the next ten years on new public group. transport infrastructure. They will spend at least 50 times more, well over $1b a year, The results of the union ratification meetings on new motorways. will be known by early October. “Auckland needs and wants a decent BENEFITS OF CO-OPERATIVE transport system. We can have it, if the Government puts politics aside and actually APPROACH IN DAIRY MUST NOT works with Aucklanders, instead of against BE LOST them. “It’s time to call a truce in this war,” said The benefit that the co-operative dairy model brings to farmers, the provincial Dr Norman. workforce and rural communities must not Authorised by Dr Russel Norman, be put at risk by a false understanding of the Parliament Buildings, Wellington drivers of milk prices, the Dairy Workers Union said. CONTRACTORS - KR NETWORKS Dairy Workers Union National Secretary Discontent amongst our Bay of Plenty KRN James Ritchie said the principal drivers of members has arisen over the company’s domestic milk prices were beyond the farm use of contractors to do “mudspots” and gate. the fire runs on the Murupara Branch Line.
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“We don’t believe that the price farmer believe this support deserves a price shareholders receive for their milk is too discount,” he said. high,” he said. “Rather, the evidence suggests that it is the wholesale and retail PORT TAURANGA GROWTH margins on the price of milk in New The port is picking up new shipping line Zealand that are inflated, which Consumer visits with one such case being the new MSC NZ have found is around 70% on the Service (see Bits and Bob’s). This has cheapest milk. That margin is much higher, triggered a discussion within the ranks of our of course, on more expensive, branded port branch members about needed milk as the amount that farmers receive increased numbers of crane and straddle per litre is the same.” drivers, lashers and linesmen. The branch is He said the union’s view was that the co- in discussion with both the Port Company operative basis of the New Zealand dairy and C3. industry has been and remains the single most important foundation of this country’s EOI FOR MIDLAND LINE success as a dairy exporter. SIGNALLING “This model has clearly been in the KiwiRail has issued a request for expressions interests of farmer of interest (EOI) for the shareholders. But design, build and farmer income also implementation of a flows through regional signalling and train communities, and control solution for the Fonterra and the two Midland Line. The EOI is other co-operatives available from the Union account for thousands office upon request. The of good dairy EOI states that the manufacturing jobs system must be able to also, exactly the sorts cope with 45 wagon coal of jobs we need in trains and current track regional communities.” clearances. It also that He said Fonterra’s electrification may be competitors were focussing on the farm provided between Arthurs Pass and Otira in gate price because they could not match it the future. Additionally whilst not demanding and it was in the interests of private that suppliers provide train overrun investors to reduce the farm gate price to protection it acknowledges that if the increase profits to their non farming proposed system provides this feature then shareholders. KR would welcome the associated risk reduction to its safety profile. The EOI closes “It is quite simple – either we back New 7 October 2011. Zealand farmers, workers and regional communities, or we usher in changes to UGL SECURES RAIL FREIGHT dairy policy which will see profits concentrated among an elite – often LOCO CONTRACTS overseas.” UGL has secured two contracts worth $88m James Ritchie said milk was just one item for supply and maintenance of rail freight of rapidly rising food prices putting locomotives in New South Wales’ Hunter pressure on low income families, and there Valley and Western Australia’s Pilbara was value in debating whether a domestic region. The orders include the supply of milk price should be set for New Zealand seven of the company’s C44ACi locomotives consumers. and a five-year maintenance program to support rail haulage services for a leading “New Zealanders support the dairy industry resources company in the Hunter Valley. through infrastructure development, UGL declined to name the company, though investment in biosecurity, trade policy and Rail Express understands this is the first environmental protection measures. We
16/09/11 10 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist time the mining company has purchased BITS AND BOBS locomotives in Australia. The Evolution Series locomotives were originally designed to meet increasingly stringent emission Postcards Opposing the Trans-Pacific standards emanating in the US. After a Partnership Agreement have been US$400m investment by GE, the new distributed to branches. Please locomotives are claimed to be the most ensure you take a handful and technologically advanced and distribute them widely. environmentally compatible heavy haul locomotive in the world, producing 40% MSC has included Port Tauranga as less emissions (than previous GE-UGL it’s only NZ port visit for its new models), improved fuel efficiency and Pacific Service. The service rotation is extended overhaul intervals rates. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Tauranga, Panama Canal (Balboa) TWU OZ THREATENS QANTAS and Los Angeles (Long Beach). The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has Word is that Tauranga is ordering 2 advised Qantas that up to 3,800 baggage new gantry cranes and has doubled handlers, ground staff, catering, freight and the order it was going to make for other transport employees will go on strike new straddles. for four hours from 5am on Tuesday 20 September, and has also imposed bans KiwiRail’s Southdown terminal is that could affect flights for a 48-hour staking a claim that with recent period. growth in container volumes it is the rd “Qantas management is now in the hands 3 busiest container terminal in NZ. of a Board and management that is utterly If true this would place it behind hostile to good faith bargaining with trade Auckland and Tauranga. 2 out of the unions. We haven’t seen this kind of 3 are RMTU sites! hostility from Qantas previously. It is distressing our members and Qantas staff The Straitsman ferry when travelling generally,” TWU national secretary Tony at its consent speed of 18knots does Sheldon said. not meet the wake requirements of its resource consent. It has to slow to “I believe we are now witnessing typical 17.2knots to conform to the consent. union-busting strategies imported from the USA and which the mining sector has tried The NZ police report that in the to repeatedly use over the last ten years. southern policing district (Oamaru “The Qantas board and management have and all points south) has had 27 such antipathy to the people who have kept people killed in truck related crashes them flying and making significant profits within the last 5 years. In addition 95 that work stoppages are necessary. people were seriously injured and a “Perhaps the most disturbing rumour to further 368 received minor injuries. come out of negotiation is Qantas’ plan to bring in overseas-trained strike-breakers to C3 Sulphur Point Wages Talks – The take our members jobs. “I want to make it company has offered1.6% year 1, crystal clear: if Qantas attempts to do this, 1.6% for year 2 and 1.6% for year 3 the tarmac will become the wharves of this decade in terms of industrial action. “The C3 Log Marshalling Wages Talks – TWU is negotiating in good faith and The company has offered1.6% year following the law and we expect Qantas to 1, 1.6% for year 2 do the same,” Tony said. Please take care of each other and above all else - Let’s Be Safe Out There!
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