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RTBU EXPRESS The Official Newsletter of the Rail Divisions of the RTBU Victorian Branch VOL 1 | Issue 11 | 18 August 2014 Letter from Secretary RTBU joins arms with Korean Railways Union Luba Grigorovitch State Secretary Ho-joon with members of the RTBU Committees of Management It has been a great Confederation of Trade Unions headquarters - Ho-joon gave a presentation on the strike to the honour for the RTBU which had served as a base for the strike - and the RTBU Rail Division’s Committee of Management, Victoria to host our arrests of 140 strike leaders. State Branch Executive and the Tram and Bus comrade Ho-joon Song, a fellow trade unionist Committee of Management in May. He also from South Korea, whilst he has visited Australia. Such shocking attacks on unions and workers’ presented at a number of work sites and at the democratic rights might seem alien to many RTBU Women’s committee meeting. He was Ho-joon Song is the Director of International Affairs RTBU members and Australian workers, but is strongly received, and at the end of each meeting and representative abroad for the Korean Railway not uncommon in South Korea where the state a motion was passed in solidarity with the Korean Workers’ Union (KRWU), the RTBU’s sister union suppression of unions and human rights violations Railway Workers’ Union’s struggle in South Korea . He has been staying in Melbourne remains commonplace. While South Korea has against privatisation. for the past 3 months as part of a visit organised by nominally been a parliamentary democracy the RTBU, the Transport Worker’s Union and the since the end of military rule in 1987, the country’s It is noteworthy that the RTBU, TWU and MUA came Maritime Union Australia through the International elected governments have continued to be together with transport unions across the world Transport Worker’s Federation (ITF). During his influenced by the authoritarian practices of the through the ITF to vocally support the KRWU during stay in Melbourne, Ho-joon had the opportunity of country’s military and wealthy elite, particularly the strike - this placed significant pressure on the visiting our Union office and members’ work sites, when it comes to dealing with organised labour. The South Korean Government from abroad. as well as historical sites of the labour movement everyday dominance of corporate forces in South in Victoria such as Trades Hall and the 8 Hour Korean society and its demands on the productivity On behalf of the RTBU I would like once again to Monument. He also visited our National Office of workers has strongly influenced the desire of the thank Ho-joon Song for the time he spent with in Sydney. South Korean Government and establishment to our union over the last 3 months and affirm my attack labour at every opportunity. solidarity with the Korean Railways Workers’ Union Ho-joon Song’s visit has been organised by in their ongoing struggle against privatisation and the KRWU and its fraternal transport unions in The railway workers strike received widespread for democratic and human rights. As railway trade Australia following a drawn out and bravely-fought support from other Korean unions and the Korean unionists we stand firmly with the KRWU in their strike by railway workers in his home country. The public as well as strong international support. The ongoing fight. strike began in December last year in opposition RTBU along with the MUA and the TWU rallied in to plans by the South Korean Government to support of the Korean transport workers over privatise a large portion of the Korean rail network. Christmas 2013. The 23 day strike forced the Up to 15,000 members of the Korea Railroad government and Korail to call a truce with the KRWU Corporation’s (Korail) workforce voted to walk off and the question of whether or not rail privatisation the job in response to these plans on December 9, will proceed is now a matter of political contention. Luba Grigorovitch which they recognised as a threat to the future of Since then the KRWU has continued to face attacks State Secretary public transport in South Korea. During the 23 day - Korail is now seeking to seize the union’s financial strike that ensued, these rail workers and the KRWU assets, and the KRWU’s headquarters was burned faced a barrage of attacks from the government down under suspicious circumstances earlier this and their employers, including the hiring of scab year. Over 250 rail workers have been sacked, which labour and the sacking of over 4,000 workers the KRWU continue to support. for belonging to the union. This culminated on December 22 in a police raid on the Korean AM an TR d B L Operations | Infrastructure | Workshops | Salaried I U A S R rtbuvic.com.au | (03) 9600 3030 U Level 2, 365 Queen Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 E [email protected] F 03 9600 3363 N I O N RTBU WOMEN ROSTER UPDATE Kath Larkin morning tea were donated to the Breast Cancer home made wheat bags can be warmed up Grant Wainwright and shelved until a more reasonable offer has know what it was, testing which gave results RTBU Women’s Officer Network. A number of our members have been in a microwave (as per safety instructions on Organiser been produced. inconclusive with peoples actual abilities- but affected by this all-too-common illness. Some packaging) and kept in pockets to keep you warm what was really beyond a joke and unacceptable RTBU Women aims to Kath Larkin The Union is now in possession of draft rosters time ago RTBU Women organised to defend and on cold days! Anne is selling the product for $5 to the RTBU is that if you were not on the Merit List engage more women in RTBU Women’s Officer for the city loop stations. These rosters appear support members who were being mistreated each with all money going towards Australian you wouldn’t be given the opportunity to apply for being active members of to abide by the EBA and the above principles. at work while undergoing treatment for breast Prostate Cancer Research and Breast Cancer After the last round of a full time position for 12 months. the union as a whole by This is a step forward. However there are ongoing cancer. This was a win for all members who Network Australia. To purchase hand warmers rosters in the northern providing them a space negotiations around some of the finer details such The Merit List has now been knocked off. Following face serious illness. please contact the union office. group which included to discuss issues in their as start/finish times, overlap time between shifts the last 12 positions from the 100 agreed full time extended hours and workplace. RTBU Women This year RTBU Women would like to invite all Flag Competition to allow sufficient time for hand over and going conversions the Merit List will no longer be in negatively affected our has been hosting monthly meetings around the members, men and women to join us for the through all of the numbers in each station with a effect. This will allow all members equal ability to Our flag competition continues. Entries are due in members, Metro has agreed to produce EBA network. In these meetings we’ve discussed morning tea – with funds raised going to both fine tooth comb. apply for full time jobs and/or promotions going by Tuesday 30 October, the winning design to be compliant rosters. As a result of delegate and problems with amenities, dealing with disciplinary breast and prostate cancer research. into the future. This will include any new vacancies revealed at the Cancer Research Morning Tea. members agitation at the workplace level and procedures, how to tackle bullying and Staffing Levels coming out of the back of this process, such as The details are; ongoing negotiations between the Union and much more. Each Division of the union has their own flag: The According to Metro’s franchise agreement, they backfill for staff who move on to new positions. We RTBU CANCER RESEARCH MORNING TEA Metro, Metro has confirmed rosters will adhere to Rail division, Locomotive division and the Tram are required to have a minimum 986 station have fought to ensure that where front line station Some of our upcoming activities are listed below: Where: RTBU Executive Room the following principles: and Bus division. RTBU women is proudly made heads. Metro claimed when they came into staff are concerned any new recruitments will Level 2, 356 Queen St Melbourne up of a cross section of members from all these • No new additional or newly created shifts will operation that they would increase the numbers be part time LSAs, so the existing staff are given Next Meeting Date: Wednesday 26 November Divisions and we would like one flag to stand extend beyond 8 hours. to 1,888. However this number has never been priority in advancing their careers. Time: 10.30am Flinders Street Station, Station Masters behind in honour of this. met. At no point have Metro gone above 920 • Members will retain at minimum the same Process Conference room. Tuesday 2 September Fundraising Initiative positions. Metro is proposing that the new Enquires/Designs to be sent to: earnings, grade and entitlements such as at 10.30am. All RTBU women members are rosters will provide for 1,020 positions. We’re Our station proposition subcommittee made up Further to the above, one our members Anne [email protected] sick leave and EDO’s as their current roster encouraged to attend.