NSW Railworkers: Why you should reject EBA99

["peterp" <peterp@peg.apc.org>]

So soon after the farcical Job & Work Redesign debacle we are being offered
another pay rise, this time
for acceptance of  Enterprise Bargaining Agreement 1999. There is no benefit
to employee's who accept
the 3%+1% which is on offer.
Once again the union movement has buckled in servitude to the ideologies of
the bosses and politicians,
and like them, are more concerned about productivity improvements,
absenteeism, introduction of part
time and casual work, reduction in staffing level and operating cost
reductions than any problems that
workers have on the job.
Do you remember the union telling us that there would be no staff review if
we said yes to Job & Work
Redesign?  This EBA contains all the seeds of a staff review.  We did warn
people at the time of W&J, but
alas.....
Now the unions have signed an "in principle agreement" which threatens the
job security and working
conditions of those who elected them. They have lost touch with the needs
and aspirations of  the majority
of their members who put up with abuse and standover tactics by their
superiors and the public on a daily
basis. The union hierarchy have forgotten what it is like to get their hands
dirty.
Rail workers should not be fooled again by payroll sweetened promises. This
time we must reject
Enterprise Bargaining Agreement 99 for all workers, now and into future, and
ensure survival of  the
public  transport system.

If you vote yes this is what you can expect:

@ A moderate wage rise of 4%.
@ To commit yourself to On Time Running, even though most decisions which
affect this are made
by  managers. e.g. maintenance levels, budgets, staff levels, wages etc.
@ A  change in your award to fit in with Howard's Industrial Relations Act.
Under the Act awards
have to be stripped back to 20 allowable conditions. The experience in other
work areas outside the
railways is that this leads to loss of working conditions.
@ To co-operate with the introduction of new technology whether it works or
not. There is no promise
of any reward for you in any  way, just cooperation. SPI operators and
others remember  the stress and
lack of resolve in attending to software problems which have not been
resolved to this day.
@ That employee's and unions will be co-opted into the corporate sphere to
provide information, yet
will not have a say over major decisions which effect the community or
themselves.
@ That part time, temporary and casual employment will be extended reducing
the conditions,
opportunities and solidarity of full time workers.
@ Changes to Salary Maintenance provisions which will ensure that people who
are redeployed are
gradually stripped of their higher grade incomes.
@ Only 14 days notice for change of master rosters. This was introduced for
the purposes of speeding
up the Carr Government's "reform" process. It gives shift workers little
time to arrange roster swaps.
@ That under the new NSW Workers Compensation Act workers will be forced
back onto the job
before they  are fit for work , possibly further aggravating an injury . It
will be much more difficult to get a
compensation payout, even though the employer contributed to the illness or
injury.
@  Introduction of  "Functional Agreements",  a contract  between management
and workers on the
job around any issue (or function) that they decide. Awards will be thrown
open for negotiation,
classification of employee's and their tasks can be changed, jobs can be cut
to "establish appropriate
staffing levels". Agreeing to "Functional Agreements" leaves the door open
to random attacks from
management on all fronts.

No More Tradeoffs!

Vote   No  to the 99 Enterprise Agreement!

Authorised for  PTU Rank and File Group
Paul Hayes              Phone: Contact H (02)96441771 or contact First Aid
Sydney Central
Peter Perkins           Phone: Contact H (02)96056842 or contact SPI Sydney
Central
                                Email: peterp@peg.apc.org
                                            peterp@tig.com.au