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Activist #2, 2013 Rail & Maritime Transport Union Volume 2013 # 2 Published Regularly - ISSN 1178-7392 (Print & Online) 22 February 2013 TRANSPORT WORKER – ISSUE 1 union in Dunedin, marking as it did the end (for now) of a Branch which has fought for The mag is done and off to the printers. workers at Hillside for generations. This issue is full of robust stories with a That said, the Otago Rail Branch is very strong emphasis on H&S issues within active and enjoys the support of the KiwiRail. We also have notes from 90% of membership and has some extremely the Union’s branches which are essential capable delegates and Officials. The Hillside for giving all areas of the membership a workers will be well supported and we look voice and platform to be heard from. forward to the day when the next Labour led 2ND ANNIVERSARY – Government honours its commitment to reinstate rail manufacturing at Hillside and CANTERBURY EARTHQUAKE the likely re-formation of a Hillside Branch! Today marks the second anniversary of the A sad event and all preventable if we had a February 22 earthquake and we all need to meaningful local content procurement policy reflect upon the difficulties that our like most other countries. Canterbury members have been working and living in since that fateful day. Some of LYTTELTON PORT COMPANY our members do not still have a working The hearing for the City Depot case toilet in their home. commences on Monday in the Employment We must not forget that 115 people lost Court in Christchurch. their lives in the CTV building alone and so Members will recall that the RMTU won a we must, as a society, ensure that all case in the Employment Relations Authority future buildings are fit for purpose. arguing that cargo handlers at LPC’s inland RMTU members in Canterbury – we in the depot fall under the coverage clause of the rest of NZ salute you for your fortitude and Combined Unions –LPC collective agreement. “let’s get on with it attitude”. The Employer has appealed this and the hearing is next week. HILLSIDE BRANCH VOTES TO The hearing is open to the public so any AMALGAMATE WITH OTAGO members wishing to sit in on proceedings RAIL BRANCH are most welcome. The hearing is at Level 1, Aoraki House, 76 Peterborough Street Earlier this week the remaining members at commencing 0930hrs and will run from Hillside Railway Workshops, that is the so Monday to Wednesday the 27 th February as called “sunset crew” (who are required. See you there! decommissioning the plant) and the “new” heavy lift maintenance crew (who are ASBESTOS HAZARD AT working on locos) voted unanimously to SOUTHDOWN wind up the Hillside Branch and to integrate with the Otago Rail Branch. A number of years ago during the Toll Rail era a dispute erupted on the Westfield, Otago Rail Branch Chair Brian McKay and Southdown site over Toll’s attempts to Secretary Tim Spence were in attendance excavate a series of known asbestos burial together with Organiser John Kerr. It was a sites. The area had previously been used as poignant moment in the history of our 2 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist a dumping group by James Hardie for have died and almost 900 have been asbestos waste. The Toll attempt was seriously injured. Each death is a family, marked by no consultation, no plan and a community, workplace losing someone who complete disregard for the safety of their was loved. Each injury is someone’s life staff. being changed forever by something that happened at work.” KiwiRail’s decision to attempt to deal with this situation was not unexpected. Some of “We need to bring attention to this, the the asbestos has been in known piles which government and the industry to step up and impede the efficient operation of the CT stop this from happening.” CTU last night site. Kiwirail formulated a plan, gained launched a YouTube clip of Caroline and expert engineering advice on how to safely Roger Callow talking about the tragic death deal with the hazard, then gained council of their son, Ken Callow, at work, and are approval to proceed. This plan included using the One Big Voice website to raise consultation with the RMTU and effected funds for a billboard campaign to draw parties. All well and good. attention to the dangers in the sector. For more information, see At the consultation meeting with CT site www.whatkilledkencallow.org.nz members the company was advised by long serving members that the problem with the NEW BLOG UNITES TOP LEFT - asbestos would be found to be larger than envisioned. The asbestos wasn’t restricted WING POLITICAL to the known piles, but was widespread COMMENTATORS AND across the site. The company agreed to dig test holes and see if that was the case, and PROGRESSIVE OPINION SHAPERS found further asbestos. Testing has Launching Friday 1 March, 2013, the concluded that the asbestos is not airborne, ‘TheDailyBlog.co.nz’ unites 30 of the but anecdotal advise is that the buried country’s leading left- asbestos which wing commentators is mainly in and progressive sheet and pipe opinion shapers to form is being provide the other side crushed by the of the story on today’s constant news, media and pressure of political agendas. heavy machinery and may well migrate to the surface over time, if that were to occur The Daily Blog Editor, Martyn Bradbury says there is the risk that at any place on the one of the primary objectives of the blog will site which is not sealed or capped, the be to widen political debate in the lead up to asbestos could become airborne and the 2014 New Zealand election. become a major hazard to the health of all “Global trends continue to point to blogging workers in the area. and social media as key influencers of This will require constant vigilance by both mainstream media reporting as well as the company and the RMTU. public opinion. With so much at stake in 2014 we plan to use this online platform to WHAT KILLED KEN CALLOW ? fortify the collective voice of the left and progressive opinions, and enhance the CTU has launched a YouTube clip and quality of debate across the political campaign aimed at trying to get the spectrum,” says Mr Bradbury. Government to agree to an inquiry into the forestry industry, and to implementing The Daily Blog is supported by UNITE, the health and safety and employment Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) standards that stop the deaths and injuries and the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union of forestry workers. Helen Kelly said (NZDWU). Members of the public are also “forestry is the most dangerous industry in able to make donations through the blog’s New Zealand. In 2013 there have already supporter page. been two deaths - since 2008, 23 workers 22/02/13 3 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist Mr Bradbury says it is hugely encouraging NATIONAL TURNS SOLID ENERGY to see three of the country’s major Unions engage in social media and blogging in an INTO BASKET -CASE effort to further debate around New National’s epic mismanagement has turned Zealand’s rapidly increasing inequality. Solid Energy from an export award-winning "New Zealand has 270 000 of its children in company into a complete basket-case, says poverty, an unemployment rate in the Labour’s SOEs spokesperson Clayton double figures and the highest level of Cosgrove. inequality recorded. There is a serious lack “National has run Solid Energy into the of critical public media services available ground. Four years ago it was a profitable and it's up to the blogs to fill the gap." business, now it’s a train wreck. This is National’s mismanagement. John Key is "I wish to pay respects to the three Unions supposed to be a business guru but National involved in this project and I look forward can’t run an economy and they’ve proved to blog posts from Matt McCarten, Chris they can’t run a business. Flatt and Wayne Butson as they gauge the temperature of industrial relations through “Solid Energy appears on the verge of the lens of their unions," says Mr Bradbury. collapse. This must be the first time any Government has overseen such a massive TheDailyBlog.co.nz will feature: Chris failure in a state owned asset. Trotter, Selwyn Manning, Professor Jane Kelsey, Keith Locke, Sue Bradford, John “Their obsession with selling off state assets Minto, David Slack, Morgan Godfery, forced the company into cutting jobs and Gareth Renowden, Martyn Bradbury, Coley investment so it could be spruced up for Tangerina, Phoebe Fletcher, Dr Wayne investors. Hope, Queen of “This was once the jewel Thorns, Burnt out in the crown of SOEs, Teacher, Steve now it’s a mess. This Grey, Aaron Government has a huge Hawkins, Marama amount to answer for. Davidson, Tim Selwyn, James Ritchie, Efeso The big loser? Yet again, the taxpayer. Collins, Robert Winter, Lynn Prentice, Frank MacsKasy, Matt McCarten, Wayne Butson, “Bill English and Tony Ryall need to step in Chris Flatt, Allan Alach and The Liberal and develop a plan to get Solid Energy back Agenda. in business,” says Clayton Cosgrove. CANTERBURY RAIL BRANCH RYALL MUST ANSWER ON MEETING BONUS PAY -OUTS The first meeting of 2013 is set down for Tony Ryall should have hauled in the midday on 1 March at Middleton Yard chairman and directors of Solid Energy and smoko room. Delegates are asked to meet made clear that paying out $23 million in at 1130.
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