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, 2 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist • 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 18/02/10 4 www.rmtunion.org.nz The Activist Just thought this is an issue if Passenger Groggy survivors wandered around in a state Trains are to travel thru the Gorge.