Rail & Maritime Transport Union Volume 202010101010 # 333

Published Regularly - ISSN 1178-7392 (Print & Online) 18 February 2010

BALLOTS IN THE POST – NATIONAL ’S ACC CUTS WILL RIP KIWI RAIL OFF WORKERS GROUP AND The Rail and Maritime EOLIA Transport Union says latest V moves to cut back on ACC All ballot papers left cover for injured workers the Unions national amount to the stripping Office on 12 back of a public asset February 2010. If ahead of privatisation. you have not “ACC works for injured received your ballot Kiwis, and we want to keep paper, and you work it that way,” RMTU General for either a KiwiRail Secretary Wayne Butson Group company or said today, following the Veolia Transport release of a select Auckland, by 19 committee report February 2010 then considering ACC legislation please contact the changes. Union on 04 4992066. “The National government is attempting to portray ACC as in financial Make sure you cast your vote and post it trouble and in need of major reform, despite back to us ASAP. advice from PricewaterhouseCoopers and others about how efficient and cost effective REMEMBER ...... a scheme ACC is.” If YOU are in favour of there being one “National simply proposes to shift the real Collective Employment Agreement covering costs of accidents and injuries from all rail workers in NZ then vote YES to the employers to New Zealand workers and their ballot question: communities, to make ACC more attractive to Australian insurance firms if they get their “Are you in favour of the RMTU bargaining way and privatise it.” for a single collective employment agreement with Kiwirail Mechanical “We already know that workers and society Services Limited, Kiwirail Freight, bear the brunt of workplace injuries as it is, Ontrack(NZRC), Ontrack Infrastructure and the changes outlined in the select Limited, and Veolia Transport?” committee report will only make it worse.” (See note). The RMTU recommends that you VOTE YES as soon as your receive your ballot Mr Butson said the RMTU had particular then send it back immediately. concerns about moves to: • cut cover for part time and seasonal workers,

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• permit ACC to disregard a workers’ Our members are concerned that the CT site previous income when assessing has not been fully consulted with, or given return to work the opportunity to put in a submission, especially as they are willing to alter their • deem workers vocationally roster so as to accommodate the Monday independent when they’re ready for night work. 30 hours work, down from 35 hours Further to this it appears that Kiwirail Freight • force holiday pay to be counted and management have been left out of the abated against weekly compensation decision making process altogether. Our if a worker looses their job, and members are and are talking amongst • weaken hearing loss provisions themselves on how KR Freight can accommodate both the Monday and the 5 “This bill is the latest in a series of attacks months into their current rosters. on ACC by National. It is not necessary and should be stopped now,” Wayne Butson The RMTU position is that RAIL must be said. undertaken by Kiwirail employees, and warn the Interislander management that our RUMOURS ABOUND IN PICTON . members are ready for a long and hard fight if any RAIL work is contracted out. Rail members of the Marlborough branch are furious at indications that a contracting MINIMUM WAGE IS GOING UP TO company may have been awarded a contract over their own company. $12.75 Speculation is that the Interislander The new minimum wage rates will come into division of Kiwirail has decided to use a effect on April 1, 2010. contracting company Higgins Tow Services The adult minimum wage will increase from to undertake the Monday night transferring $12.50 to $12.75. This applies to all of 20' and 40' containers from Rail wagon employees aged 18 and over and includes to Trailer and vice those aged 16 and 17 versa within the who are not new Terminal sites at entrants or trainees. Wellington and Picton. The training and new In correspondence entrants' minimum with the RMTU wages will increase Interislander from $10.00 to $10.20 management stated an hour. that they are in the “situation analysis Visit the DOL website stage” in regard to the possibility of for further information on the minimum suspending a Monday night return freight wage or your minimum employment rights. sailing i.e. 2205/0205 Aratere. The freight on this ship may be able to be transferred ISSED PPORTUNITIES OT onto the earlier Kaitaki Sailing” M O , N The rumors indicate that the contractor will ENOUGH FOR JOBS have the Monday night work until the “tere” There is very little new in the Prime goes into dry dock for 5 months and then Minister’s statement on economic growth they will undertake the full operation. The and what he announces misses significant work in Picton will be done at the Terminal opportunities to boost jobs and broaden the as opposed to the CT Site in Spring Creek, tax system, said CTU Economist Bill due to the haulage cost quoted by Toll Rosenberg. Tranzlink being too expensive (at 40% more than the actual cost) there is even a “The Prime Minister glosses over the steep rumour that other haulage firms were not rise in unemployment revealed just last invited to tender. week, and his statement does precious little for those out of a job or whose jobs are at

18/02/10 3 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist risk,” said Rosenberg. “The recession is not a pre negotiations meeting. It was an over for many New Zealanders. Instead he amicable meeting in the spirit of Goodfaith, threatens making it harder to access the with both parties indicating their desire to unemployment benefits for those have the collective negotiated before the unfortunate enough to be out of a job for expiry of the current agreement and posing any length of time. The signalled reforms together for a photo. on this and other benefits are a worry given National’s record on benefit cuts. Creating HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENTS FOR jobs will get people off benefits but there is not enough on this in the speech.” ANZAC DAY “The Prime Minister signals an increase in This year Anzac day falls on Sunday 25 April. GST to 15 percent and continued tax cuts This means that those who normally work for the well off. This will only further Sundays will receive a paid day off on Anzac encourage the development of the day. Alternatively if you do work on Anzac ‘emerging underclass’ he speaks about. The day, you are entitled to time and a half for priority should be to reduce inequality, not the hours you work and an alternative increase it.” holiday (if Sunday would be otherwise a “The Tax Working Group put asset taxes on working day for you). Visit the DOL website, the agenda, but the government appears to for more information on alternative holidays have wiped them off just as quickly. We (days in lieu). need a Capital Gains Tax or other form of Please note that Anzac Day is also a property tax (excluding the primary home) restricted trading day. Most shops selling to broaden the tax base and level the retail goods can not open until 1pm on this playing field on investment. It is good that day. Certain shops may remain open. For the government is still looking at options more information view the DOL website for changing the way property is taxed – information on Shop Opening Hours. probably looking at depreciation and write- off of losses - but it has missed an opportunity to make significant changes in WEST COAST BRANCH our tax structure.” National Office received the following report “The Prime Minister again hits at workers from the Westcoast Branch; the first of the through changes to the labour laws, two serious issues out lined below will be undermining holiday entitlements and fair dealt with by the H&S Exec for resolution treatment of Personal Grievances. We won’t immediately once the HSAT on the coast get closer to Australia by attacking escalates the issue to it. employment conditions. Labour laws did The second issue was dealt with by the 2nd not cause the recession and they will not issuing of a HM2 form, so well done to all hold back any recovery.” members involved. It is a shame that “A further positive approach would be to escalation to National Office is needed to get include unions in industry development safety work undertaken. initiatives and in improving health and That the state of the check rails on Bridges other public services, recognising the between Westport and the 121 km in the contribution workers make to economic Buller Gorge are in a pretty sad state and development.” have not been touched for years, there is doubt that they would hold a passenger 2010 BARGAINING AT PORT carriage travelling across a bridge should a derailment occur, now I know for a fact that MARLBOROUGH . when we had a coal wagon derail and dragged for many Kms a few years ago, it Two years have gone by quite quickly for travelled across bridges between the 124 km the Port members in the Marlborough and Tiroroa, only one bridge had the check Branch, with their Collective due to expire rail replaced as it was torn off as the wagon at the end of June. Branch Representatives went across, all others have just been left Debbie McManaway, Grant Herbert and George Laird met with CEO Ian McNabb for

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Just thought this is an issue if Passenger Groggy survivors wandered around in a state are to travel thru the Gorge. of shock or burst into tears as they were taken to a nearby sports centre to be The Buller Gorge scrub is out of control, it treated. The Belgian Red Cross issued an basically requires trimming from the 124.5 appeal for blood donors. km from tunnel 6 all the way thru to and including station limits Inangahua, trees "The shock was terrifying, it knocked us along the rock walls have shaped down like ninepins," said a survivor who themselves to the profile of the coal gave her name only as Sylvie as she wagons in places it is overhead as well, emerged with an injured arm. inside scrub is so bad in places that should Late Monday and SNCG in their one have to walk the , one couldn't do statement revised talk of a head-on collision, it. Approaching Inangahua broom is so bad saying the trains had hit laterally "for you cannot see the station warning board unknown reasons". or Arrival signal. Some carriages were hurled onto their sides BELGIAN RAIL DRIVERS STRIKE in thick snow near Halle, about 15 kilometres (nine miles) southwest of . FTER EADLY RASH A D C The accident, which involved 250 to 300 Belgian train drivers went on strike Tuesday commuters in the two trains, left thousands in protest at working conditions after the of travellers elsewhere stranded as collision between two rush hour trains in and suspended international services which 18 people died. to and from Brussels. The SNCB rail company said the Lodewijk De Witte, governor of the Flemish spontaneous walkout had been widely Brabant province, said the bodies of 15 men followed and many cancellations and delays and three women had been recovered. would follow. One of the two train drivers was said to be An investigation was launched into the among the victims, though identification of cause of the crash, which happened at the all the bodies could take another day, the height of the morning rush hour, with governor said. suspicions of driver error as well as a lack Firefighters who helped pulled the bodies out of safety equipment on one of the trains. of the train wreckage also collected In a joint statement Infrabel, which runs fragments of clothing from the site to help the Belgian rail network, and SNCB, which with the grim identification process. runs the trains, said the death toll stood at The crash on a key line caused widespread 18 with 95 injured. rail disruption, with all Eurostar high-speed Eleven of the injured were said to be in train services to and from cancelled serious condition. along with Thalys rail services to , Germany and The Netherlands. Emergency workers suspended after nightfall a search for more bodies in the Disruption was set to continue on Tuesday mangled wreckage of the carriages. and perhaps beyond as the official probe sifts through the wreckage. Brussels train crash: 'We were knocked down like ninepins". "We don't think there SNCB said it would take at least three days are any more victims in the trains," said to get train services running normally again. crisis centre official Anja De Wolf. "But As the crash investigation got underway, De there could still be more bodies trapped Witte said one train had apparently failed to under the carriages," she said. stop at a red light and hit the other at high The high-speed crash, one of the worst rail speed. accidents in Belgian history, happened at The train line where the crash happened is around 8:30 am (0730 GMT) as commuters fitted with a security system designed to halt headed to work in the capital. trains automatically at a stop sign.

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However one of the trains was not equipped it is Wellington Free and one with the system, according to Marc other. Descheemaecker, a senior official with the A flyer is being developed and will be Belgian rail company SNCB. distributed as soon as available. Prime Minister cut short a trip This is a major chance for the workshop to to the Balkans to head back to . highlight the work they currently do and Belgian King Albert II similarly interrupted what they are capable of doing. There will be a holiday in the south of France to visit the displays from several suppliers e.g. crash site with Leterme in the afternoon. Fletchers, BOC gas, Steel and Tube etc. Messages of aid and condolences also came Ontrack have offered the new tamper, heavy swiftly from the , which has rail vehicles and the like for a static display. its headquarters in Brussels. They are also trying to get the KA and a few EU president , himself other steam to also display. Belgian, spoke of his "great shock and There will also be a display board of union sorrow," while chief info and it will highlight the work of the Jose Manuel Barroso said his executive RMTU Hutt branch, the delegates and H&S stood ready to help. reps do. The Lions Rotary Club is doing TOLL TRANZ LINK the volunteer work of car AGEROUND EMIT parking, organising W R entertainment etc CALL SO IF YOU’RE IN THE All branches are requested to WELLINGTON REGION forward remits from Tranz MAKE SURE YOU DIARY IN Link members to national AN ATTENDANCE! Office from their branch. The remit call will close on 1 FIRST ISSUE 2010 - March 2010. TRANSPORT WORKER The core negotiation team for the RMTU shall comprise Please send in all contributions, Jacqueline Poole (Chch), Jack Hingaia branch notes, pictures, gossip or funny (Southdown) and Todd Valster (Organiser). stories to [email protected] or fax The Union will be serving initiation notice to 04 4710896 or post to Box 1103 for the renewal and renegotiation of the CA Wellington. on the employer soon. Watch for the WE NEED THEM NOW! employer notice in response to the notice in your workplace shortly thereafter. Under the ERA the employer must advise all KIWI RAIL GROUP – VEOLIA workers that an initiation notice has been MECA UPDATE received from the RMTU. To MECA or NOT Ballot papers, as required HUTT WORKSHOPS OPEN DAY by the ERA 2000, will be leaving the Unions National Office 12 February going to all The Open Day is to be held at Hutt members who are covered by the Collective Workshops on 28 February 2010. The open Agreements within Ontrack NZRC, Ontrack day is between the hours of 11am and Infrastructure, KiwiRail Mechanical services 4pm. (Alternative date due to weather is (previous United Group), KiwiRail Freight 7th March 2010) (Previous Toll) and Veolia Transport Auckland. It is essential that members cast Entrance to the site during the open day is their vote quickly and send the completed via the Bell Road gate only! No access from ballot paper back in the reply paid envelope Elizabeth Street. Gold donation on the day supplied. Only the ballot papers returned with the proceeds being forwarded to the will be counted ! We need a strong vote in recipients chosen by the Lions Club. So far

18/02/10 6 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist favour to demonstrate to the employer how YOUTH UNION MOVEMENT serious we all are to become “stronger together”. OPPOSES DOUGLAS ’S ATTACK Please note that each trading company is a ON YOUNG WORKERS separate ballot and so each company ballot must be carried in order for the members The New Zealand youth union movement, within that company to be included within Stand Up, is calling on the Government to the MECA bargaining. Any company ballot steer clear of Roger Douglas’s Private not carried will cause the Union to be Members’ Bill which directly attacks young required to initiate for a single Collective workers by reinstating youth rates. agreement for that enterprise. Stand Up convener James Sleep says this is We have sought a written assurance from yet another attack on young people by the KiwiRail that KRMS will have full backdating Government’s support partner ACT. Roger of any settlement to 1 April 2010 and await Douglas’s assertion that the reintroduction of receipt of that confirmation. We have a youth rates is the answer to youth verbal assurance to date. unemployment is simply ridiculous, said Sleep. UNION CLOTHING BAN “Youth rates discriminate against young workers on the basis of age. Employers REMOVED expect exactly the same level of work from sixteen and seventeen year olds as from Under the sounds familiar heading - RTBU eighteen year olds. Sixteen and seventeen Members in Victoria’s V/Line Infrastructure year olds don’t get to do their jobs 20 recently reported being told by percent slower, or work 20 percent fewer management at toolbox meetings that hours. So why should they be paid 20 RTBU clothing and logos were banned on percent less when they are doing exactly the the job and that disciplinary action would same job as an older worker?” be taken against those who did not conform. RTBU Victoria Sleep believes Douglas’s State Secretary Trevor magic bullet to solving Dobbyn reports that youth unemployment is discussions with senior fundamentally flawed. management have “If Mr. Douglas really cleared the issue up. It cares to solve youth seems that what V/Line unemployment he should meant to say was that spend his time lobbying clothing issued by the the Government to invest in comprehensive company should be worn on the job, but initiatives that create jobs and education that did not exclude the wearing of union opportunities for the thousands of young badges or logos or clothing such as tee New Zealanders seeking work.” shirts as well. So that should clear that matter up and no one need fear retribution Sleep says ACT must not put the blame on from management if they wear RTBU stuff young people for the Government’s failure to on the job. create these opportunities for young people to get ahead. RMTU members may recall that we had a similar falling out with Toll and then CEO “ACT wants to take money out of the pockets David Jackson over the same issue. It must of young people as a response to a lack of be an Australian anti union thing. Government action over youth unemployment. That is appalling.” Sleep says that if the Government decides to support Mr. Douglas’s Bill then it is working against its commitment to deliver for hard working New Zealanders and it will prove the Government is out of ideas on how to reduce the high youth unemployment rate.

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INTERISLANDER WORKING extremely drawn out and required DOL assistance. PARTY • The Port Taranaki RMTU Harbour The Interislander working party has met 3 Workers CA is up for renegotiation, times and held one set of report back expiry 31 March. Claims meetings are meeting with members. There is a lot of planned and the union will be seeking to work to go through and our representatives commence these talks in March. There are doing a sterling job. have been many challenges, in recent The latest meeting had members of the times, due to the fall off of cargo work at working party observing the Wellington this Port. A new Port Taranaki / RMTU Terminal “outside” operation including the Launch Masters CA is now in place going marshalling of both rail and cars and the through to 2011. line; “It was good to see again what the Let’s Be Safe Out There & Wellington guys do and link this to the discussions” said Picton Terminal Remember...... Representative Tania Haraki. Of interest to the team is the possibility of establishing a skills matrix and “WE’RE STRONGER qualifications for Terminal staff; however what is put in place must be of true benefit OGETHER to the membership. T ”!

HEALTH CHECK TOOL FOR THE GENDER PAY GAP A free “quick health” check is now available for employers and their staff in monitoring pay and employment equity in New Zealand business. The new self-assessment and monitoring tool (http://www.neon.org.nz/payequitymonitor ingtool/ ) launched today by the Human Rights Commission allows companies and organisations to work out whether they have a gender pay gap and what they can do about it. New Zealand has had a gender pay gap between men and women of about 12 per cent median hourly rates for the past decade.

BITS AND BOBS • The Wellington City Transport Collective Agreement for our Operations Controller members is due for renegotiation. The union has sent though an initiation notice, there is a claims meeting next week and then hopefully talks will commence. The union is looking for an improvement on the last talks in 2008 which were

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