RTBU NSW Locomotive Division Delegates' Conference Report - August 2019

Delegates Conference Report

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019

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Welcome Welcome to the 2019 RTBU NSW Locomotive Division Delegates Conference and thank you for your ongoing commitment to improving the lives and working conditions of our state’s Loco members.

There’s no question that the current political climate is a tough one for workers in all industries, and ours is certainly no exception. With newly re-elected state and federal conservative governments at the helm, the battle to protect and improve upon our wages and conditions is a tough one - but a battle we have no choice but to continue to wage.

The Loco Division has always batted well above its average – whether in relation to negotiating new agreements with companies; in terms of membership density and support; or in government negotiations.

And while a strong history and a strong base is great and something we should all be immensely proud of, we wouldn’t be doing our job if we weren’t always striving for more.

That’s why, here at the Loco Division, we’re looking to shake things up a bit. You’ll hear a lot about this during the course of the conference, but the short of it is this: if we want to continue to go from strength to strength, we need to continue to grow and build on our strengths.

We need to remember that we’re one union – not passenger and freight, but the Locomotive Division.

That’s where the Membership of Unionists come in.

The Membership of Unionists is a concept the Division has been developing in conjunction with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). It’s a reminder that a union isn’t a bunch of people sitting in head office – each and every one of us is the union. A unionist isn’t someone who is necessarily elected to a role or paid to work in a union office - we are all unionists. The union is everywhere, not just an office in Pitt St, Sydney. It’s not just ‘passenger’ or ‘freight’, but the collective.

Rather than thinking of ourselves as members of a union, we want to remind ourselves that we’re all – every delegate and every member - active unionists,

and that if we’re going to continue to achieve big things, we need to continue to work collectively.

We’re also not just members of the Locomotive Division, but members of the broader union movement. We understand that pushing for improved workers’ and social rights across the board is good for all of us.

Collectively within our Division, we can achieve big things; collectively as a union movement broadly, we can change our society for the better.

Part of the Membership of Unionists will be a training program aimed at skilling local delegates up to be able to take greater control over issues in the workplace.

The training program being developed with the ACTU is borne of your feedback. We know that our union works best when our delegates have the skills and confidence to be able to successfully deal with issues in the workplace, so we’re putting measures in place to ensure those who want to can access the world-class training they need.

Expect to hear much more about the Membership of Unionists. We’re looking forward to sharing more detail and getting your insights and feedback.

Part of building on our Division’s strengths is also acknowledging that if we’re going to continue to achieve the best possible outcomes for everyone in our industry, we need to make sure we’re adequately representing everyone in our industry.

When you look at our global counterparts, like ASLEF in the UK, you’ll see the active steps they take to ensure representing diversity in the workplace is a top priority.

Of course the Loco Division has always understood and acknowledged the importance of diversity in our membership – there’s no doubt that one of the things that makes our industry and our membership so strong is our diversity. But we acknowledge we can, and must, do better. That’s why we’ll be discussing with you the need to reflect our diverse membership and provide opportunities for such within our decision making and representative processes – whether that be via rule changes or less formal ways.

We need to make sure we’re genuinely representing the diversity of our workplaces and our membership and ensuring everyone’s needs are heard and met – the hallmarks of a good, successful union.

Contents Another way we’ll be ensuring everyone’s needs and wants are heard is by getting out and about on tour.

We are a geographically diverse membership too, and the Locomotive Division has always been committed to getting in front of our members as often as practical.

We know that face-to-face contact is important, which is why we’re investigating conducting a state-wide tour to discuss union activities broadly – including the specifics of the Membership of Unionists concept. Stay tuned for more on that.

Locomotive Division Executive.......... 4-5 Branch Council............................................ 5 Locomotive Division Delegates......... 6-7 Loco Express................................................ 8

We trust you’ll enjoy the Loco Division Delegates Conference. Events like these aren’t easy to get off the ground, but they’re invaluable in ensuring we continue to do everything possible to ensure Loco Division members get the wages and conditions they deserve.

Locomotive Division Organising Structure................................. 8

We’re looking forward to working with you strengthen our union this year.

Our membership in numbers.................. 9 Mapping: our membership.................... 10 Mapping: industry research and intelligence gathering..................... 10

Bob Hayden Secretary

Financial overview.....................................11 Membership of Unionists........................12 RTBU Locomotive Plan 2019................13 Freight Plan..................................................14 Passenger Plan............................................14

Brett Rosser President

Training Program Outline.......................15 Training Schedule 2019 ..........................15 Our enterprise agreements....................16 Conference Guest Speakers...................17 Our International Comrades..................18

Locomotive Division Executive

Bob Hayden

Brett Rosser

Andy Holt

Divisional Secretary

Divisional President

Divisional Assistant Secretary Passenger

FULLTIME

HONORARY

HONORARY

Bob Newham

Kevin Pryor

Farren Campbell

Steve Wright

Divisional Organiser – Passenger

Divisional Organiser – Freight

Acting Divisional Organiser - Passenger

Divisional Organiser – Freight

8 Passenger Delegates rotation

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Jessica Epps

Greg Cameron

Divisional Industrial Officer

Divisional Organiser (casual) – Freight

Relief Passenger Organiser

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

Keith McMahon Divisional OHS Coordinator

Mark Supple

Dave Mathie

Dan Leece

Divisional Assistant Secretary Freight

Divisional Vice President Freight

Divisional Vice President Passenger

HONORARY

HONORARY

HONORARY

Ben Francis Brisbane

NORTH Nick Kranias Werris Creek

SOUTH

Branch Council Districts

WEST

Bruce Wooten Junee

Warwick Wright Parkes

Mike Sullivan Penrith

METRO

Jimmy Ukmar Enfield

Farren Campbell Flemington

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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Locomotive Division Delegates

Dave Roberts North West Group Freight

Western Group

Greg Brooking Western Group Freight

South West Group

Eliott Hackett South West Group Freight

Rob Lougher NSW Trains Countrylink Group

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RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

Paul Dornan NSW Trains Intercity Group

North Coast Group

North West Group

Peter Mundey North Coast Freight

Central Group

Garry Baker

Sydney Trains

Central Group Freight

Sydney Trains

Metro Group 1 Paul Foster

Andrew Clark

Blacktown, Penrith, Richmond, Hornsby

Campbelltown, Leppington, Flemington, ASY

Giovanna Bonelli

Vacant

Central, North Sydney

Cronulla, Mortdale, Waterfall

Group 1

Wayne Pallant Metro Group 1 Freight

Group 3

Group 2

Group 4

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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Loco Express The Loco Express website, social media and email newsletter are incredibly strong when compared with industry standard.

The fortnightly Loco Express email newsletter is particularly popular with the membership as a source of the latest news and information, with significantly higher than average open rates (ie the number of people who actually read the newsletter).

The Loco Express email newsletter goes out to all Loco Division members who have registered their email address with the Division.

The statistics around open rates, read times etc are always incredibly high when compared with other similar membership newsletters.

This is an indication that the timing of the newsletter (Friday afternoon) works well for Loco Division members and that the regular stream of content is seen as relevant, interesting and informative.

In terms of website statistics, the time spent on the site is quite high, meaning that people aren’t just browsing quickly, but rather actually reading the content.

Also important to note is that following the latest news/home page of the website, the Your EA section is the most frequently visited, highlighting the importance of ensuring all EAs housed on the site are up-to-date.

The Loco Express social media site, while not having a huge number of followers (1200 approx), is a relatively active group, with members often commenting on and sharing posts.

Locomotive Division Organising Structure

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RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

Our membership in numbers When it comes to density and member numbers, the Locomotive Division has always been a strong performer.

Historically, we’ve seen a solid growth in membership – and the forecast is for much of the same.

It is the responsibility of all delegates to identify potential new members, wherever possible sign them up, and keep the depot membership list up to date.

We can only truly continue to represent the interest of all members if our density remains high and if our membership information is current.

If you would like a more detailed information, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the Executive team.

Over the past two years we’ve grown by approx.

5 per cent per annum, and we’re on target for a similar figure again in 2019. We enjoy around 95 per cent density across the membership – a figure that provides incredible strength across the board.

2018 2017

3600 Members

2019 3691 Members

2.5%

6.4%

3383 Members

Membership numbers as at 30 June 2017, 2018 & 2019

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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Mapping

our membership Our density is strong, but if we’re going to keep it that way, we need to get a better understanding of exactly where our members are and when they move onto different depots or employers.

That’s why we’re embarking on a membership mapping exercise. This is important for a number of reasons, particularly during enterprise agreement negotiating periods. It will: • Be an effective way of identifying strengths and weaknesses of our union and division.

• Help with identifying and developing potential reps, activists and future leaders.

• Find out member concerns, hot issues and make priorities clear. Assist in developing campaigns.

• Be an effective use of planning and resources.

No one knows our workplaces like our delegates do, so it’s important to remember that the onus is on delegates to inform the Division office if anyone changes depots.

Mapping

industry research and intelligence gathering As well as mapping our membership, the Locomotive Division has also committed to conducting a detailed industry research and intelligence gathering exercise.

Knowing everything there is to know about the companies in which our members work will provide us with a much-needed edge. We’ll get a greater understanding of their market share, their weaknesses, their board members, the company structures, their customer base etc.

It will give us a greater understanding of which pressure points to press; when we can join with other unions to gain leverage in negotiations etc.

When it comes to understanding the companies we negotiate with, knowledge is power - and the more of it we have the greater outcome our members will receive.

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RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

Financial overview The Locomotive Division has a strong track-record of transparency, accountability and strong financial performance.

The following is an overview of some of the key costs outlaid by the Division each financial year in order to ensure our union can continue to provide members with the best possible service.

As a result of the Division introducing transparent and accountable budgeting in 2011 and finance reporting, the Division has continued to meet and at times exceeds its budgeted surpluses.

The Division Funds 100% of up to 8 full-time

equivalent Divisional specific positions

100%

of Locomotive Division specific cost/expenses

26% of 7 Fulltime NSW Branch “corporate staff” positions

26% of all NSW Branch

“corporate’ running/operational costs

14.5% of all income (less any

levies) to the RTBU National Office

In addition...

The Division allocates funds to the following Locomotive Division specific accounts:

LEGAL

$10,200 per month TRAINING

$1 per member

per month based on the monthly membership numbers The NSW Locomotive Division has care, custody and control over Divisional funds/income, after all Branch “corporate” cost and National affiliations are deducted each month. Divisional Funds are controlled by the Divisional Council/Executive for the representation of Locomotive Division member’s interest including, but not limited to, industrial and legal representation and progressing issues specific to Locomotive Division members in NSW. Division funds are managed with a view of providing long term and ongoing financial security and independence of the Division and members.

We pride ourselves on our transparency. As always, anyone who wants to know more detail about the financial situation of the Division can arrange a time to speak with an Executive member at any time.

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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Membership of Unionists The Membership of Unionists is a new concept developed by the Locomotive Division in conjunction with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).

Training

The aim is to take our union from strength to strength – building on the knowledge that collectively we are stronger and will achieve better outcomes for all of our members.

We know that our union works best when our delegates have the skills and confidence to be able to successfully deal with issues in the workplace, so we’re putting measures in place to ensure our delegates have access to world-class training.

We’re not just passenger and freight members.

We’re one, strong and united Division and we’re part of a strong and united community of unionists who, together, can achieve better outcomes in our workplaces and more broadly.

A union isn’t just a group of elected officials – together, all of our members are the union.

We know the Locomotive Division is historically strong – industrially, politically, financially and in terms of union density. But we also know that if we’re going to continue to achieve big things for members, we need to continue to strive for more. That’s where the Membership of Unionists comes in.

A key aspect of the Membership of Unionists will be a training program, developed in conjunction with the ACTU, aimed at skilling local delegates up to be able to take greater control over issues in the workplace.

Divisional Plans Our vision for the Locomotive Division for the coming years is clear: we want a united union, working to a common plan with strong, active members at the centre. We want to shape our industry and our workplaces.

To do that, we need to map out exactly how we’re going to get there. The following outlines the practical steps that both the passenger and freight sections of our union are going to take.

If we want to continue to take our union from strength to strength we need a roadmap for getting there. This is that roadmap.

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RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

RTBU Locomotive Plan 2019 OUR VISION A united union, working to a common plan with strong, active members at the centre. We shape our industry and our workplaces.

Goal

Goal

Goal

Goal

Educated Members Fighting for a Bigger Purpose

Structured to Build Density and Activity

A Membership of Unionists

Leadership Custodians of a Member-Centred, Winning Union

Essential Markers of Success • Education and development program that creates a unionist culture.

• Accountable structure, clear purpose and working to a plan

• Members understand how we win and feel proud to be part of that.

• Succession plan developed and implemented for generational change

• Political / structural education leads to a commitment to social justice.

• Activist structures and networks are built with the organisers as a key role

• Issues are mostly solved collectively

• Proactive, activity focused with a positive agenda

• Members see themselves as connected to the union and by the union, rather than their employer silos.

• Leadership is accountable to the outcomes of the member program and the plan.

• Members are mobilised to fight

• Key focus area is education • There is a plan for change that respects members.

• Members understand the purpose of a union and themselves as active in the centre – Solidarity • Members have ownership of solutions and the union is the vehicle for change.

• A forward fighting leadership for the future • Leadership that brings members on the front foot to meet the challenges.

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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Freight Plan Initiatives or Strategy: How will we achieve this?

Discovering an issue widely deeply felt by Freight sector while developing organising skills of delegates/organisers.

Measures for tracking progress: How will you know it is done (SMART Objectives)?

Measures for tracking progress: How will you know it is done (SMART Objectives)?

Map NSW freight sector by location, numbers, and industry share by 2nd August 2019.

Identify sites to be visited and organiser/delegates who will be visiting to complete survey by 9 September 2019 Develop survey questions with accountability mechanism for person to person engagement on issues by 20 September 2019 Brief Freight organisers and key delegates on conversations and schedule for the survey and collecting data by 27 September 2019 Perform follow up on various levels weekly for organisers and fortnightly for leadership.

Analyse responses to survey and work out most widely felt issues in Freight by end September 2019

Passenger Plan Initiatives or Strategy: How will we achieve this?

Our Industry, Our Agreement – Sydney/NSW Trains Enterprise Agreement 2021.

Building Strength and Member Engagement to Win Collectively.

Measures for tracking progress: How will you know it is done (SMART Objectives)?

Internally raise proposed changes to RTBU engagement in CRU based on the following Membership perceptions: • CRU negotiating team not representative of Membership Breakdown • Individual Divisions can be outvoted should an agreement they don’t support go out for a vote • Operational employees not supported by non-frontline employees.

• Important Divisional issues diluted / not considered important when agreement voted by the whole.

Develop for endorsement RTBU MOU setting out processes and obligations for all divisions governing future EA negotiations. Key points; • RTBU to table clear position that in all instances where an employer seeks to take out an agreement for vote without Union endorsement we will automatically and actively campaign a NO vote.

• The Branch Secretary cannot endorse any agreement to go to vote without each Division signing off that they are happy with it.

• Should the Business take out an agreement for vote which has not been endorsed by each division, the RTBU is bound to run a mandatory “NO” vote Compile Draft MOU for presentation and feedback at Delegates conference.

Engage organisers and executive from each Division to support the proposed changes and take to respective Divisional Councils for Endorsement. Loco to present MOU at each Divisional Council meeting.

Endorsed MOU to be taken to Members.

Endorsed MOU to be taken to CRU and Unions NSW by Branch Secretary.

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RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

Training Program Outline LEVEL 1

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

Delegate Foundations

Advanced Delegates 1

Advanced Delegates 2

Workplace Union Leaders

All current and future delegates will be required to undertake the new level 1 foundations course.

A two-day training course aimed at all delegates with at least 18 months experience after having completed level 1 and having received appropriate coaching and mentoring.

This will not be automatic and only for those delegates who successfully complete level 1 and 2.

A four-day cross-union course run by the actu organising centre.

A two-day training course aimed at everyone who has delegate type responsibilities.

TRAINING

LEVEL

LEVEL 4

This course is aimed at senior delegates with 3 years’ experience who have shown themselves to take responsibility for a union workplace and developed others.

DURATION

DATE

LOCATION

ACTU Union Educators Course

4 DAYS

10-13 SEPTEMBER

SYDNEY

ACTU briefing prior to the delegates intensive course

1/2 DAY

17 SEPTEMBER

SYDNEY

2 DAYS

19-20 SEPTEMBER

SYDNEY

3 DAYS

25-27 SEPTEMBER

SYDNEY

3 DAYS

2-4 OCTOBER

SYDNEY

LEVEL 1

2 DAYS

15-16 OCTOBER

NEWCASTLE

LEVEL 1

2 DAYS

5-6 NOVEMBER

SYDNEY

LEVEL 1

2 DAYS

3-4 DECEMBER

WOLLONGONG

Delegates Foundations Course #1

LEVEL 1

2 Day Delegates Training

ACTU Delegates Intensive Course 3 Day ACTU Delegates Intensive Course – 2 delegates to attend

ACTU Developing Workplace Leaders Course As part of the delegate training program and the need for organisers to specific mentor and develop workplace leaders it is propose that all locomotive division organisers and a number of the executive undertake a 3 day actu – developing workplace leaders course in sydney.

The course is fundamental to provide organisers with the necessary skills to be able to mentor and develop delegates at each level and identify those delegates who have met the requirements to be considered for progression through the training program levels as automatic progression only applies from level 1 to level 2

Delegates Foundations Course #2 2 Day Delegates Training

Delegates Foundations Course #3 2 Day Delegates Training

Delegates Foundations Cours #4 2 Day Delegates Training

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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Our enterprise agreements The Locomotive Division represents members in a diverse range of workplaces.

The following is a list of the current enterprise agreements in place or being negotiated. On average, these agreements are re-negotiated every three years.

Replacement and or New Agreements in Progress QUBE EA

Southern Shorthaul Rail

Aurizon NSW Coal Operations Enterprise Agreement – 2018

Sydney Trains EA 2018

NSW Trains EA 2018

Pacific National Bulk EA 2018 (incorporates both PN bulk and Coal NSW businesses)

Pacific National Intermodal Train Crew EA 2017

Sydney Rail Services

Watco

Pacific National Intermodal DivisionOutsourced Projects Enterprise Agreement 2017

RailTrain Freightliner Coal EA 2019

Freightliner EA 2018 To read more about any of these agreements, visit www.locoexpress.com.au/your-division/your-ea/

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Bowman’s Rail 2018

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

Conference Guest Speakers ASLEF UK

RMTU New Zealand

JRU Japan

Mick Whelan

Wayne Butson

Mr Akinori Yanagi

General Secretary

General Sectretary

General Secretary of the JRU

Mark Wakenshaw

Howard Phillips

Ms Tomoko Mukawa

Executive Committee Member and Driver

Nat VP and Freight LE

Interpreter

ASLEF is Britain’s trade union for train drivers. Its 20,000+ members are employed in the train operating companies, the freight companies, London Underground and some Light Rapid Transport. The first recorded meeting of the ‘Associated Society of Locomotive Steam Enginemen and Firemen’ was held on 7 February 1880 and its first monthly magazine was published eight years later.

The union has seen its members working 12 or 16 hour days and six day weeks; it has fought major industrial disputes; it has seen nationalisation and privatisation; it has witnessed massive growth in the railways and the slashing cuts of Beeching.

Throughout it all, it has continued to advance the opinions of its members with dignity, force and coherence that should be expected of the UK’s foremost craft union. Today the union’s head office is located at 77 St John Street, London EC1M 4NN. The union’s day to day direction is overseen by the Executive Committee.

Each of its 8 regions has a District Organiser and an Executive Committee member, while the main negotiations with employers are undertaken by Company Council Representatives. The union also has a retired members section and three consultative committees representing members who are women, black and ethnic and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. It is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress and to the Labour Party.

Simon Bell Wgtn Metro LE

The RMTU is a union for transport workers in which all members have equal rights, whatever their job. With rapid change, and increasing competition in the transport industry it is important that workers are protected by a strong, well-resourced union, specialising in all aspects of the transport industry; rail, road and ports.

The structure of the RMTU gives members the opportunity to be fully involved in a democratic union as collective decisions are made which may affect member’s job and conditions of employment.

Members have the opportunity to elect their workplace union representative (delegate), as well as branch and national union representatives. Members have a voice at all levels of the RMTU.

The All Japan Railway Labor Union Federation Association (abbreviated as “JR general office”) was formed on the February 2, 1987 Nippon Steel Reform Labor Union Association as a maternal face, ahead of JR’s inauguration. In Labor-management relations, they aim at a sound and equal cooperative relationship that is neither “adhesion” nor “confrontation”, and strictly confronted the plot of unionization by some management teams. Particularly in railway safety, they have held numerous initiatives including holding the International Railway Safety Workers’ Meeting Conference (Autumn 1990). Among them, they have stated “from responsibility pursuit to investigate the cause” and have strictly checked the measures of JR companies from the workers’ eyes to improve safety.

Sally McManus was appointed ACTU Secretary in March 2017. She was previously the Vice President directing the ACTU’s campaigns.

Prior to joining the ACTU, Sally was the Branch Secretary and an Organiser with the ASU in NSW and the ACT for 22 years. During Sally’s time as ASU Secretary their membership grew from 9,500 to 12,000 members. She has led many successful campaigns in the private, public and community sectors including a campaign preventing water privatisation and the Equal Pay campaign for community and disability workers that delivered between 18-40% pay increases.

GUEST PANELLIST Alison Pennington is an economist with a focus on work today in Australia and in the future. She received a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Adelaide and a Master of Political Economy from the University of Sydney. Her masters research focused on Australian finance, housing and inequality. Alison has written for the Centre for Future Work on the evolution of collective bargaining, public transit and flexible work practices and has a background in public finance, and public sector unions. She has a particular interest in industrial relations, young workers, and passions for music teaching and the AFL

Trish Doyle is the Member for the Blue Mountains. Trish is a local teacher and a passionate campaigner for social justice, equality and the environment. Trish has spent the last four years representing the needs of the Blue Mountains in the NSW Parliament against a greedy, self-interested and conservative government that is determined to sell-off our public assets and degrade essential services. She has fought back and secured improvements to our rail services (such as additional carriages on weekends) and she is a passionate defender of our unique environment.

GUEST PANELLIST Emily Mulligan is a Campaign Director with GetUp. She has a decade’s experience in campaigning from lobbying for better policy at global climate conferences to media exposure for women’s rights programs in Uganda. Most recently Emily has worked on Australia focused campaigns from the Murray Darling to Marriage Equality.

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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Our international comrades The transport industry is a global industry. The issues that we face here in Australia are, more often than not, also playing out in other jurisdictions around the world.

That’s why having a close relationship with other transport unions globally is critical. Learning from what has happened in other countries around the world is the only smart way of operating in our local environment. We also know that sharing our learnings with our global comrades will in turn be of benefit to us again down the track.

The Loco Division of NSW has forged very strong relationships with a number of international unions, including the UK’s Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), the Japan Confederation of Railway Workers’ Unions (JRU), the Rail, Maritime Transport Union of New Zealand (RMTU), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF Global) and the International Center for Labor Solidarity (ICLS).

Our close ties with our comrades globally links back to the true meaning of unionism: we are stronger together. This is why the Loco Division always invites our global partners to our conferences and where possible, we send local representatives to theirs – to share knowledge and get a greater understanding of our industry land the challenges facing our workers locally and globally.

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The following resolution was passed at the recent June Division Council This Divisional Council, having received a detailed report of the Division’s recent attendance at the ASLEF delegates conference in the UK in May, endorses the division’s continued participation in international train driver union conferences when invited.

We believe that the benefits of attending and continuing to develop international relationships with overseas train driver unions, is an important part of representing NSW Locomotive Division members.

It is clear that companies, governments and managers learn from what’s happening in other countries and seek to introduce similar technology and or workplace change based on what they argue is “world’s best practice” as a way to attack our conditions and job security.

Unions need to continue to learn from each other and develop strategies jointly and or specific for their own country based on each other’s experiences.

In line with previous DC decisions & resolutions, it is view of the Divisional Council that the Division should be always be represented by the Divisional Secretary (or their nominee) and up to two delegates as endorsed by Divisional Council and or Divisional Executive as representative of the broad cross section of the membership.

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019

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RTBU NSW LOCOMOTIVE DIVISION • DELEGATES CONFERENCE REPORT • AUGUST 2019