Activist #9, 2020

Rail & Maritime Transport Union Volume 2020 Issue 9 Published Regularly - ISSN 1178-7392 (Print & Online) 24 July 2020 80,000 people in the last 4 years - for care NEW EQUAL PAY LAW WILL and support workers, school support workers, HELP FIX THE GENDER PAY social workers at Oranga Tamariki and teacher aides. There are more equal pay IMBALANCE claims in progress. The process by which these outcomes have been achieved are Creating a more equal society and established in the Equal Pay Amendment Act addressing systemic sexism and which has just passed. This is proof of what discrimination in the workplace has always can be achieved when people come together been the goal of the union movement. "The and work as a collective for equity. Collective cause of the gender pay imbalance, which bargaining is a mechanism to achieve gender has resulted in a system where employers equity and fairness." pay women less than men, needs a multi- "It has been a long faceted approach to fix. journey to get to this The passing last night of place. Ensuring that The Equal Pay meaningful, long lasting Amendment Act has progress is achieved has secured a sustainable taken time and required and practical way work from many forward to provide an organisations and effective process for individuals. The next achieving equal pay for challenge is to ensure women," CTU President that the Act is used to its Richard Wagstaff said. full potential; ensuring that pay discrimination "Working women have based on gender is been campaigning to something for the equalise the gender pay history books," Wagstaff imbalance for decades. said. The passing of new equal pay law today provides structure and support in fixing the systemic problem of paying women less RAIL WORKERS REJECT because of their gender." CLOSURE OF SOUTHLAND "When people come together in union to BRANCH LINE solve an issue they are more powerful and effective than when facing the issue alone. The union representing rail workers says the Collectivism is a fundamental principle of the impending closure of a Southland rail line union movement and this is why collective goes against the Government’s own bargaining is always part of our solution. commitment to provincial infrastructure and Ensuring that people wanting to take a upgrading New Zealand’s rail network. collective equal pay claims are supported by KiwiRail has confirmed they are planning for unions is consistent with the mahi that the closure of the Ohai to Invercargill Branch unions do." Line, commonly referred to as the Wairio "Working women in union have successfully Branch. secured equal pay settlements for almost 2 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Australia, Canada and UK exposure Secretary Wayne Butson says rail workers standards. The new exposure standard for are calling on the Minister of Transport Phil NO2 is 1ppm (over an 8-hour period) with a Twyford and Associate Minister of Transport further reduction planned to bring it down to Julie Genter to intervene. 0.2ppm. (The new exposure standard is available from the Union Office) Mr Butson says the line carries coal on the first part of its journey from Ohai to The KRG/RMTU tunnel focus groups will be Fonterra’s Clandeboye factory in South discussing the implications for the changes Canterbury. particularly with respect to gas monitors and training. “This line is in regular use, and there is untapped local potential for rail in BARGAINING AT growth areas such as TOLL logging.” Bargaining at Toll began Mr Butson says on the 25th of June. The remedial work was RMTU put up a number of carried out on the line very reasonable claims several years ago and that looked to improve some further work was sick and bereavement required to get the line leave and service up to speed. entitlements, alongside a “A line closure means reasonable pay double handling and increase. Toll put up an more trucks on South offer of a nil wage Island roads – the increase combined with exact opposite of what the loss of penal rates on the Government says Saturday, Sunday and it is trying to achieve.” nightshift (although overtime after 40 hours He says the Union is would remain). As you unhappy that an can imagine this was met application by Kiwirail with a strong response to the Provincial from the bargaining team Growth Fund has been who explained to the declined. company that the RMTU Mr Butson says there does not accept clawbacks are signs of an imbalance with transport and that their offer was unacceptable. The infrastructure with the North getting priority company improved its offer to a 1% increase over the South. with the loss of penal rates only on Saturdays and Sundays. This meant that members “Provincial rail lines are an essential part of would be paying for their own pay increase. a national transport strategy and export We made it clear that we do not accept industries and the Government needs to clawbacks and ended the bargaining to report step up on this occasion.” back to members. Those report backs are nearly completed and we have had a CHANGES TO NO2 EXPOSURE resounding response from the membership LIMITS that they will not give up their penal rates. Armed with this message, we are due Worksafe have significantly lowered the back at the table in August. exposure limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) Union – Power! produced by diesel engines and welding. The changes are based on health information and will bring NZ into line with 24-JUL-20 3 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist WORKSAFE REP- HEALTH AND 11/12 August, Initial Stage 1 Health and Safety Rep Training, Hamilton SAFETY REP & SUPERVISOR 25 August, Preventing & Managing Fatigue, TRAINING Hamilton WorkSafe Reps is now offering online 26 August, Creating Positive Workplaces, courses as well as face to face classroom Hamilton based learning. 8 September, Stage 2 - Investigation & Risk For KiwiRail HSAT Reps, contact KiwiRail’s Management, Hamilton Learning and Development on KLE to 9 September, Managers / Supervisors / Team arrange a course [email protected] Or Leaders Health & Safety Training, Hamilton go to Worksafereps.co.nz Phone: 0800 336 966 19 August, Creating Positive Workplaces, Palmerston North 2/3 September, Initial Stage 1 H&S Rep - Blended Learning, Virtual Learning 20 August, Stage 2 - Investigation & Risk Management, Palmerston North 8 September, Managers/ Supervisors/ Team Leaders Health & Safety Training, Virtual Learning FATIGUE A BIGGER 9 September, RISK THAN DRUGS Preventing & Managing Fatigue has been Fatigue, Virtual identified as more of a risk Learning to workers’ safety than 15 September, Stage 2 impairment caused by - Investigation & Risk illegal and prescription Management, Virtual drugs. Safeguard Learning magazine surveyed NZ industry to ask their 16 September, opinion on the upcoming Creating Positive cannabis referendum in Workplaces, Virtual NZ. The majority of Learning respondents said current 1/2 October, Initial use of recreational Stage 1 Health and cannabis is a significant Safety Rep Training, safety risk however Whangarei impairment caused by fatigue was more of a 17 September, concern. The Union is Creating Positive keeping the pressure on Workplaces, Auckland employers to work with the Union to Central implement safe fatigue management 18 September , Stage 2 - Investigation & systems. Risk Management, Auckland Central 29/30 September, Initial Stage 1 Health and NZR STAFF WELFARE TRUST Safety Rep Training, Auckland Central ACCOMMODATION BALLOT - 9/10 September, Initial Stage 1 Health and 2020/2021 Safety Rep Training, Auckland South 23 September, Preventing & Managing RMTU WEBINAR – FIGHTING Fatigue, Auckland South FATIGUE FOR SAFETY 24 September, Creating Positive Workplaces, Auckland South The 60-minute webinar is available to RMTU members who are interested in the issue of 24-JUL-20 4 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist fatigue, safety and health. In this webinar ISOLATION AND LOCKOUT HPHE we discuss why sleep is not a luxury but a basic human right. The session will AT KIWIRAIL include information on workplace systems This is one of the longest ongoing HPHE for managing fatigue including safe projects at KiwiRail and it looks like it may rostering principles and processes for finally be coming to fruition, but not without worker engagement. The webinar some bumps in the road that need to be is scheduled for 3pm, 13th August. If you overcome. This has morphed from an would like to register, please email attempt to systematize Rule 126 to a more [email protected], or call Karen general look at isolation and lockout Fletcher on 027 600 6581. processes and Rule 909. Recently the RMTU put the brakes on this in order to ensure a H2A BLESSING proper consultation process took However you refer to the place. The main Hamilton to Auckland concern was over the (H2A) or Te Huia Train implementation of the project is gathering lockable chocks by KR. real momentum. On 13 August at 0600hrs a The key issues are that blessing ritual in te reo there wasn’t a full risk will be performed by Kura assessment and they from Te Atiawa. The train haven’t included the will then be on view with members at the speeches from dignitaries coalface in the risk to follow. assessment. There was also a concern with UK UNION the roll out process which seems to be MEMBERSHIP plagued by a failure to RISING communicate. We met with the company to Membership of Trade iron out these Unions has risen over the concerns. The last 12 months by 91000 Company resolved to and is now up to improve their 6,440,000 in the UK. This communication and the is the third successive RMTU through the year that numbers have Mechanical Industrial gone up and means that Council are providing Union membership has further feedback.

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