RTBU One Industry, One Union 2023

JUST A SEC

Major infrastructure projects and rolling stock, changing technologies including a new ticketing system, and the expiry of the current franchise contracts are all culminating around the same time.

Enterprise bargaining across V/Line, Metro & Yarra Trams, along with other key workplaces across the industry make this one big year for RTBU members across the industry.

We will be looking forward to capitalise on the investments and changes coming to ensure members are front and centre in providing job security and control over the changes to come. There has never been a more important

time to be a paid up and proud RTBU member as we stand READY TO FIGHT.

In a major step forward, we have acquired a training organisation, allowing us to take an active role in safety and training. Over the years members have raised with me many concerns about the quality of training schemes in our industry. The RTBU is now stepping in to build higher quality training opportunities for members.

In this edition we will explore the history of our union, how we came to be here and the struggles we have endured.

We will bring you the updates on key stories, projects and campaigns

that form priority areas of focus for the years ahead and news of the struggles of our brothers and sisters from across Australia and the world.

As RTBU members, we must make it our interest to explore and share experiences that enrich the way we fight and how we support other transport unions.

We know that when transport workers stand together, transport workers win.

Happy 30th birthday to all RTBU members!

Vik Sharma Victorian Branch Secretary

As the RTBU clicks into 30 years since amalgamation we find ourselves at the most significant crossroad the industry has seen in generations.

STOPPING ALL STATIONS

RTBU TURNS

This year our union reached an important milestone with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the modern RTBU.

Our national all-grades union was formally established on 1 March 1993, when the Australian Railways Union (ARU) merged with the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen (AFULE); the Australian Tramway & Motor Omnibus Employees’ Association (ATMOEA), and the National Union of Rail Workers of Australia (NURWA), to form the Australian Rail Tram & Bus Industry Union.

The WA Locomotive Engine Drivers’ Firemen’s and Cleaners’ Union then joined the amalgamated Union in 1999. The RTBU’s history however, goes right back to the 1861 with the formation of the Locomotive Engine Drivers Association in Victoria. Over the next 40 years, workers in the new rail and public transport industries steadily became organised in their local areas.

As Australia became a political federation at the turn of the century, our transport unions came together to form national associations. They also formed Trades Councils in each state, and were central to the formation of the Australian Labor Party.

Rail and public transport unions have been involved in some of the most important industrial disputes in Australian history – including the 1912 Brisbane Tramway Strike and the 1917 Railways Strike in NSW, both of which turned into massive general strikes and social confrontations.

One of the leading figures in the 1917 Railways Strike was an engine driver from Bathurst called Ben Chifley, who went on to become Labor Prime Minister of Australia from 1945 to 1949.

The unions that went on to form the RTBU also produced leaders like Jim McGowan, Bill McKell and, JJ Cahill –who all rose to become State Premiers. Then there was the legendary Victorian unionist Clarrie O’Shea, the head of the Victorian Branch of ATMOEA, who was sent to jail for standing up to the anti-union laws imposed by Harold Holt’s Coalition Government in 1969.

The rail and public transport unions also had many incredible workplace delegates – like Eddie Mabo, the Queensland railway worker who fought for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land rights and justice, and became an icon for his people. The 1993 amalgamation brought together the great majority of railway and public transport workers for the first time in one united union. The new union was also an important advocate for the role of public transport in Australian society, as it unified rail workers with government sector bus and tram employees across the country.

The new union was originally called the Public Transport Union, but the name was changed in 1998 to Rail, Tram & Bus Union.

Today our union represents over 30,000 workers. The RTBU not only is a powerful advocate for its members in their workplaces, it also plays a significant role in the Australian political landscape as a voice for fairness and social justice.

National Secretary

Victor Moore National President

“ Today our union represents over 30,000 workers. The RTBU not only is a powerful advocate for its members in their workplaces, it also plays a significant role in the Australian political landscape as a voice for fairness and social justice.”

OUR UNION

The creation of the modern RTBU in 1993 saw the new union structured into six state-based Branches and six occupation-based National Divisions.

The State Branches operate independently, with their own elected officials, office buildings and staff. All elected officials are drawn from within the membership –in fact to be eligible for an elected position you must be both a member AND work in the industry.

For members, direct contact with their union is primarily through their State Branch, but this doesn’t dilute the important work of our national office or the important collaboration between Branches and Divisions.

The main functions of Branches include:

ä negotiating state-based Enterprise Bargaining Agreements for members;

ä managing individual member issues;

ä employing organisers to coordinate collective action by members;

ä organising delegate structures and delegate training;

ä providing workplace legal advice and support to members;

ä lobbying state governments and running campaigns on workplace and social issues;

ä and preparing and distributing member communications such as newsletters and member bulletins.

The Branches and Divisions work together on a national level with the support of the National Office. National Office includes the elected National Secretary and Assistant National Secretary, and a small team of specialist staff.

All Branches and the National Divisions are represented on the National Council, which is the union’s peak decision-making body that meets once every two years. This year’s National Council meeting will be held in Brisbane on 21-23 November. Branches and National Divisions are also represented on the National Executive, which is effectively the RTBU’s Committee of Management or Board.

The National Office and the National Divisions give members a say in national policy and legal framework about safety, industrial laws, industry standards, skills and competences, investment in infrastructure and other important issues. They also bargain with employers that have a national footprint – like Pacific National and Aurizon.

Without an effective and united national union our members would be left without a voice in these national discussions.

The roles of the National Office and National Divisions include:

ä coordinating national enterprise agreements;

ä running campaigns on national issues;

ä providing legal support for branches and divisions;

ä running legal cases in the Fair Work Commission and other courts on matters of national significance;

ä lobbying politicians on national issues;

ä conducting research projects on industry-wide issues;

ä making submissions to regulators, parliamentary inquiries and committees;

ä coordinating National Executive and National Council meetings; and

ä representing members on national and international bodies such as: TrackSafe, Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB) Standing Committees, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and Australian Industry Standards (formerly the Transport and Logistics Skills Council)

RTBU NATIONAL DIVISIONS

» Locomotive Division

» Rail Operations Division

» Fleet Manufacture, Overhaul, Maintenance and Service Division

» Infrastructure Division

» Administrative, Supervisory, Technical and Professional Division

» Tram and Bus Division

RTBU BRANCHES

» New South Wales

» Queensland

» South Australia/Northern Territory

» Tasmania

» Victoria

» Western Australia

Want to know more, just get in touch. Call 8630 9100 and to speak with someone regarding the union’s governance structures.

IR laws mark a political turning point

Recent polling shows support for the Federal Government is strong, providing a firm platform for the reforms unions have been campaigning for over recent years.

57% of voters say they are glad that Labor won the last federal election, particularly men (59%), those aged 18-34 (62%), Labor voters (88%) and even 23% of Coalition voters.

Against the backdrop of long-term stagnant wages and high inflation, the government is working to support structural changes for unions and workers to create opportunities for working people to get a bigger slice of the rampant profit-pie.

As members would be aware, our union along with others around the country has previously raised concerns with the state of industrial relations legislation including restricted rights to take indus-

choices’ by the former Rudd Government in 2008.

This first tranche of changes abolished anti-union organisations like Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and the Registered Organisations Commission (ROC), provided direct measures to reduce the gender pay gap and reintroduced multi-employer bargaining to allow unions to negotiate across an industry to lift stagnant wages in a number of sectors.

They have banned pay secrecy, strengthened flexible work provisions, improved rights to parental leave, restricted the use of fixed-term contracts, put an end to unilateral enterprise agreement terminations and dialled in the focus of the Fair Work Commission towards job security and gender equality including additional appointments of sensible industrial relations experts as commissioners.

“These provisions have been hard fought for and will make real differences to how we bargain and how we hold management accountable,” said Vik Sharma This has been combined with the wider first year plan which included a federal minimum wage increase, the introduction of a national living wage, better enforcement of workplace rights and a reduction in the casualisation of the workforce.

Legislation designed to close loopholes too often exploited by bosses including the criminalisation of wage theft, protections against labour hire exploitation and its use to undercut industry wages, reduction in the use of casual workers, and family and domestic violence provisions have also remained a focus as we continue to engage through the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and directly with government to ensure a stronger framework.

trial action and excessive powers held by greedy employers.

As RTBU State Secretary Vik Sharma highlighted to members, “without legislative reform, workers are dealt a bad hand in Australia and as unions we have a responsibility to fight for that change.”

Since coming to office in 2022, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations have wasted no time on long needed industrial reforms.

The Secure Jobs, Better Pay legislation last November signalled the biggest change in industrial relations since the abolition of John Howard’s detested ‘work

“The reforms also include the introduction of an additional ‘right of entry’ provision for unions, which allows union representatives to enter workplaces to ensure that employees are being treated fairly,” he said.

Regulating psychosocial injuries, fighting silicosis, and criminalising workplace manslaughter for bosses who are negligent when it comes to occupational safety are other features of the wider changes. This year laws have been passed to lock superannuation provisions into the national employment standards, provided additional protections for temporary migrant workers being exploited under the visa system and made improvements to unpaid parental leave.

Recognising the role our union has played to set the scene, Branch Secretary Vik Sharma reminds us, “many of these measures are items that the RTBU has fought for in our enterprise agreements to lock in the protections and set the standard for others. These include our supplementary labour provisions, and our early wins on family and domestic violence.”

“Where you see the conservative media and big business jumping up and down about the new changes, we know we must be doing something right as we gear up for fertile ground that supports strong outcomes for the years ahead, not just in EA bargaining but also day-to-day.”

Want to get more details on any of the new provisions outlined in this article, just ask us. Contact rtbu@rtbuvic.com.au or call (03) 8630 9100.

“ Where you see the conservative media and big business jumping up and down about the new changes, we know we must be doing something right as we gear up for fertile ground that supports strong outcomes for the years ahead, not just in EA bargaining but also day-to-day. ”

“ Without legislative reform, workers are dealt a bad hand in Australia and as unions we have a responsibility to fight for that change. ”

UNITY CRUCIAL IN BIG YEAR OF ENTERPRISE BARGAINING

Industrial action could be the key in securing necessary protections for Victorian Branch members bargaining for a new enterprise agreement this year.

Deep in negotiations with Metro, Yarra Trams and V/Line which sit against the backdrop of high inflation, new technologies, trains and major projects and upgrades, members are disappointed with the lack of progress made by employers and stalling tactics that frustrate the process.

Agreements with the major operators expired on 30 June, Victorian Branch Secretary Vik Sharma said job security, wages and conditions, and safety would be crucial to the eventual outcomes.

“With a raft of changes expected to affect

“The Metro Tunnel will open, new rolling stock and additional capacity delivered across all modes, Metro and Yarra Trams will run out of their contracts – so we will see bidding for who will run heavy and light rail in Victoria – and there will be a new ticketing system.”

“Because these changes are coming, we need to look at this bargaining round with a holistic view as to what is happening in the industry, and how we can capitalise on it and the billions of dollars of new investment it brings, to get the best outcome for members.”

Vik said the new ticketing system was typical of the challenges RTBU members would face.

“The system right now requires the commuter to buy an actual ticket from a vending machine or human,” he said. “The new system is similar to that in

“What other work we can bring into our industry? And how else we can utilise those workers, to make sure we are running a public transport system where customers have humans to talk to and not just machines?”

Vik said the RTBU also wanted to tie companies up with obligations they could not simply run away from, and would be standing firm against job cuts.

With the soaring cost of living putting huge pressure on families and individuals, pay will be another big issue in all EA negotiations.

“In previous negotiations we have not had to worry as much about the cost of living, as interest rates and inflation have stayed low for the past 15 years or so since the GFC,” Vik said.

“But this is the bargaining round where everyone is hurting as prices are crazy, so the cost of living and pay is a huge concern that members have raised.”

With different companies playing different strategies, looking to play off against each other and at the cost of other grades, unity among members, however, will be critical to achieving decent outcomes in the EA negotiations.

“With so much at stake, it is essential that we learn from past mistakes, stick together and support each other through the negotiation process.

“Unity is strength, but a divided union is a weakened one.”

Vik said the recent announcement that the executive members of the Victorian Locomotive Division had applied to the Fair Work Commission to seek to with draw the division from the RTBU, and set up a separate union, was extremely disappointing.

“The Fair Work case will be an unfor tunate distraction from the real work of making sure members at Metro and V/Line get the best possible Enterprise Agreements.”

IR changes for Bargaining

New bargaining tools (easier to initiate bargaining in circumstances where boss’s refuse, multi employer bargaining, no ability for employers to terminate expired agreements as a bargaining tactic).

The Federal Labor Government has introduced a number of changes to the Fair Work Act and bargaining process over the last year. These include a range of new bargaining tools to support members in their pursuit of a decent outcome and standard of living:

CAMERA Right: Swayn and Callen Parsons are Branch Industrial Officers working across EA bargaining, key disputes and providing members the best possible advocacy and advice.

Protected Industrial Action

WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL ACTION?

Industrial action refers to a variety of activities, most commonly strikes (refusal to attend or perform work) or work bans (refusal to perform all normal duties), which are taken to support or advance claims during enterprise bargaining. These can include activities such as strikes, pickets, stop work meetings and various work bans.

WHAT IS PROTECTED INDUSTRIAL ACTION?

Protected industrial action is industrial action that has been approved by a ballot of RTBU members in accordance with the requirements of the Fair Work Act, and has been taken within thirty days of that approval. Protected means that you are protected from legal liability for taking the action and management cannot take action against you in response to you taking industrial action. There are exceptions if the action involves or is likely to involve personal injury or damage to or taking of property.

ä Making it easier to initiate bargaining where the boss refuses

ä Facilitating bargaining with multiple employers in the same industry

ä Removing the ability of employers to terminate expired Agreements as a bargaining tool

ä Introducing new measures to facilitate negotiations when bargaining has reached an impasse

HOW DO WE TAKE PROTECTED INDUSTRIAL ACTION?

Protected industrial action can only be taken when it is in pursuit of a proposed enterprise agreement and the existing enterprise agreement has gone beyond its nominal expiry date. This has already occurred at Metro.

For the action to be protected, a protected action ballot (following a protected action ballot order by the Fair Work Commission) must be held. At least 50% of the eligible employees must vote, and a majority of those must authorise the industrial action in order for it to be protected.

HOW DO I VOTE TO TAKE PROTECTED INDUSTRIAL ACTION?

Recent changes to the Fair Work Act now allow an eligible Protected Action Ballot Agent to conduct the vote for industrial action. Previously, the Australian Electoral Commission was the default agent for these ballots. The ballot can be conducted electronically.

It is important to note that only RTBU members can take protected industrial action. A worker who is not a member but decides to participate in the industrial action is deemed to be taking unprotected industrial action. This can attract vast financial penalties and other legal problems for those individuals.

For RTBU members to participate in the ballot and subsequent industrial action, you must ensure that your contact details are up to date with the RTBU office. If we can’t contact you, you won’t be able to vote. Check your details as soon as possible.

WHAT IS A COMPULSORY CONCILIATION CONFERENCE?

This is a new stage in the protected industrial action process. The union and the employer must now attend a compulsory meeting with a Fair Work Australia Commissioner prior to taking protected industrial action. This is designed to give the parties a final opportunity to negotiate and reach agreement on outstanding matters prior to protected industrial action being taken.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE REACH A STALEMATE?

If, after 9 months of negotiations, the pursuit of a new Agreement has reached an impasse, a party to the negotiations can apply for an intractable bargaining declaration. This allows the Fair Work Commission to assist the parties to resolve the bargaining dispute while leading to a workplace determination. This is a situation where the Fair Work Commission will deliver an arbitrated agreement that will contain terms that the parties agree on and some that are determined by the FWC.

Why is this bargaining round so important?

The Industry is being inundated with new technology which, if left up to the employer, may see significant impacts on our industry and our jobs. We are also facing the opening of the Metro Tunnel, new rolling stock, line upgrades and booming patronage.

Will I continue to get wage increases once the EA expires?

No further increases will apply until such time as the new EA is agreed.

All other provisions in the current agreement remain in effect e.g. Consultation, rostering, annual leave, long service provisions etc.

What is a log of claims?

A log of claims is a list of items that the RTBU has put forward to be included in the proposed agreement. In this case the claims are based on feedback from members, delegates, officials, utilising our industry knowledge to cater for the future of the industry.

How can I find out more about specific claims, developments, or other news?

Updates are being posted online and via email. You can also speak to your union organiser, a member of the bargaining team, or email us on rtbu@rtbuvic.com.au

On the job meetings will also be held and RTBU delegates will be regularly updated on progress.

What if the company don’t agree to our claims?

Like every bargaining process, neither party must agree to the others’ claims. If MTM refuse to negotiate a fair deal for our members, the RTBU has the option to take protected industrial action, including bans and stoppages.

Will we need to take protected industrial action?

The RTBU will never seek to unnecessarily take protected industrial action, however in the event it is required, we are not afraid to use it.

The process around seeking protected industrial action through the Fair Work Commission is extensive and job meetings will be held to further explain this requirement and the various steps.

EA Bargaining FAQs

What is being included in the new Enterprise Agreement?

Agreement requires majority endorsement of those covered by the new EA.

On the job meetings will be arranged to update members and delegates on progress.

I’ve heard a rumour and my workplace doesn’t like it, what do I do?

Unfortunately, in a bargaining round many rumours spring up based on misunderstandings, untruths, or partial information. Don’t let rumours fester. If you hear something concerning, get to the bottom of it. Contact the union office on 8630 9100 to get in touch with the right person.

When will a new EA take effect ?

Once a new agreement has been voted on and endorsed by a majority of those covered by the agreement, the proposed agreement needs to be certified through the Fair Work Commission.

Some payments may be back dated as a result of negotiation outcomes.

Metro Tunnel ontrack but inspections and staffing still underway

The Metro Tunnel is projected to open in 2025 but the RTBU still holds concerns over operational readiness of Metro to deliver services.

With the tunnel dug, track, signal and overhead services connected, platforms built and test trains in, from the outside it looks like a ribbon cutting is just around the corner. But lift the lid on early testing and staffing preparations and a different picture is quickly painted.

From a train running perspective there are questions around emergency procedures, manual override of automations, and platform overshoot bugs to be worked through.

Branch Secretary Vik Sharma has stated that “the RTBU remains confident that should Metro engage meaningfully with drivers and other operational staff, these issues can be worked through to ensure the project can open on time.”

Staffing however remains a deeper concern. Requiring at least 233 extra station

staff to cover the operations, Metro are currently struggling to retain the personnel required. “This churn makes for a nervous process if Metro are hoping to have the numbers to run a successful service from day one. They’re not even close to meeting the needs of commuters.”

The RTBU has had to campaign to have current vacancies across the network filled. While Metro have started filling these vacancies, the churn continues to set them back, leaving approximately 80 vacancies below the current baseline.

“If Metro are unable to lock in the baseline staff for the current network, we’re concerned about their ability to secure the numbers needed for the Tunnel opening,” said Vik Sharma

“Of recent recruits, it is understood that a significant number have already resigned. The shift work is brutal, high levels of violent assaults and chronic understaffing continues to stretch our members.”

To add insult to injury, Metro have recently completed their internal recruitment process, leaving gaps in critical skills and knowledge.

“Not only are staff numbers failing commuters, but necessary training is not being completed,” he said.

Leading Station Assistants have long been an entry point into the rail industry. The role provides exposure to key rail operational factors and is an important springboard into Station Officer roles as well as other roles including Signalling, Authorised Officers and Driving.

“Metro have come back to us claiming that the current applicants do not have the skills necessary to perform Station Officer roles and that they must recruit externally to fill the deficit.”

How someone could walk off the street and into a more senior railway job without prior experience or training is a big question. This illustrates Metro’s failures to forward plan and value training for their staff.

The RTBU will continue to fight for the training and skills to support members looking to grow their careers.

“We won’t accept management’s rhetoric that their employees don’t have the right skills. Our members are exceptional at the work they do and the experience they possess and Metro must start to recognise that they are the solution to their staffing problem.”

CAMERA Metro Delegates visit the Metro Tunnel to inspect progress and begin operational discussions

Safeworking Making Works Possible

CAMERA Organiser Joe has made a name for himself taking selfies

RTBU Conference builds Power on the Job

The RTBU conference is an opportunity for Delegates and HSRs to come together to discuss key issues across all divisions and areas of our industry, share knowledge and build collective power through collaboration.

Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll attended and faced questions from

SAFETY NOT SURVEILLANCE

Transport ministers reject in-cab surveillance and agree to rail safety review

Federal, State and Territory Transport Ministers have again sent the Office of the National Safety Regulator (ONRSR) back to the drawing board on its controversial proposal for mandatory in-cab video and audio monitoring.

National Secretary Mark Diamond said ONRSR had been trying to get Ministers to support its plan for in-cab recording devices for several years.

“The RTBU has consistently opposed in-cab video and audio monitoring,” Mark said.

“Trains cabs are not normal workplaces – they are mobile meal rooms, change rooms and spaces where workers have private conversations.

“The proposal from ONRSR went way beyond the sort of monitoring that workers are subject to in other parts of the transport sector – such as airline pilots or maritime officials.

“Safety should never be used as a Trojan horse for workplace surveillance.”

RAIL SAFETY REVIEW

The Infrastructure and Transport Minister’s Meeting (ITMM) in Perth during June also agreed to an RTBU proposal for a review of the Rail Safety National Law. “This review will be an important opportunity to make sure our rail safety laws, and the rail safety regulator, are both fit-for-purpose,” Mark said.

Mark said the Terms of Reference for the review should focus issues including:

ä The transparency of ONRSR decisions and investigative processes;

ä Considering whether the coregulatory model is working appropriately;

ä ONRSRS’s independence from industry; and

ä Clarity around the overlap of RSNL and WHS laws.

Furthermore, ITMM also agreed to an RTBU request to bring forward the first review of the National Freight and

Supply Chain Strategy to commence this calendar year.

“The global COVID-19 pandemic and flooding events across Australia during 2022 exposed serious vulnerabilities in the operation of our domestic and international supply chains,” Mark said.

“For example, rail had to pick up a greater proportion of the freight task when COVID affected interstate truck movements, and when foreign ships stopped visiting Australian ports.

“But on the other hand, flood damage to the east-west rail corridor meant that communities in Western Australia, and the Northern Territory were temporarily cut-off from rail services, and reliant on road and air transport to move vital goods such as food and medicines.

“It is critical we maintain enough capacity across the difference freight modes to provide back-up when these supply chain disruptions happen.”

RTO PARTNERSHIP A GAME-CHANGER FOR RAIL, TRAM AND BUS WORKERS

The quality of training in the rail, tram and bus industries has long been a concern for the RTBU.

The inconsistent standard of training puts workplace safety at risk, while undermining the ability of workers to advance their own professional development.

But instead of waiting for someone else to fix the problem, the RTBU has decided to take the initiative by partnering with industry-leading training organisation Training Ahead Australia (TAA) which we believe, has always adhered to the high level of training quality that the RTBU expects.

National Secretary Mark Diamond said TAA was the only training organisation endorsed by the RTBU.

Mark said partnering with TAA would “We are hitting the ground running in

Safe Public Transport Committee Established

The RTBU has been successful in our joint campaign with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) for a network wide safety committee.

The Victorian Government has conceded the need for improved and better coordinated safety measures across the public transport network throughout Victoria. Writing to RTBU Secretary Vik Sharma in late August, Minister for Public Transport has agreed to union demands for an ongoing Safe Public Transport Committee.

The committee will be established with representatives from public transport operators and relevant public sector representatives. Terms of reference will be developed in conjunction with the

Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) with a view to providing ongoing feedback directly to government. This development comes about against the dark backdrop of increasing assaults across the network. Joining forces with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) who were experiencing similar issues on the bus network, our unions wrote to Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll demanding coordinated and targeted action to put safety front and centre on the public transport network.

Collaboration and coordination of different agencies, a data driven approach and real on-the-job experience will play a vital role in tackling issues over time, tracking progress and making responsible recommendations.

We will continue to keep members informed once the committee is officially formed and discussions are underway.

“SAFETY IS UNION BUSINESS”

Is your workplace up to scratch?

If your workplace looks like this, you need to call your RTBU Organiser. There are specific requirements around amenities in your workplace. There are also requirements around possible hazards, machinery and manual handling. You can also familiarise yourself with the WorkSafe compliance guides online or speak to your Delegate, HSR or organiser.

Remember, if you think it’s unsafe – it probably is.

MEMBERS SECURE JOBS GUARANTEE FOR NEW TICKETING SYSTEM

RTBU Members in Victoria have secured a State Government guarantee that no frontline staff will lose their jobs when a new public transport ticketing system is rolled out.

Victorian Branch Secretary Vik Sharma, officials and delegates in June secured assurances from Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll about job security for members who perform ticketing functions and roles with metro, V/Line and Yarra Trams.

“This important win could not have come at a more crucial time in the enterprise agreement negotiations, and sends a clear message to all the operators that the RTBU and the state government consider job security a top priority,” Vik said.

During a meeting with the Minister, Delegates were open and frank about the threat the modern ticketing system posed to members’ jobs. The new system will start rolling out in 2024 and let passengers pay with bank cards and using smart devices.

The RTBU provided direct examples from the shop floor about the importance of members’ roles. This advocacy secured:

ä A guarantee that no jobs will be lost in the transition to the modernising ticketing system;

ä A commitment for proper training and support in moving to the new system;

ä A commitment to engage with frontline staff representatives about the design of the upgraded system.

The Minister wrote to Vik providing assurances that the Department of Transport and Planning, and ticket supplier Conduent Business Services, would work with union representatives about the upgraded system.

“I want to assure you that the new ticketing system will not result in a reduction or replacement of frontline staff such

as customer service staff, station staff, authorised officers and conductors,” Mr Carroll wrote in the letter dated June 15.

“Our aim is to support our frontline staff to continue to provide high-quality service to our customers. Employee training and support will be provided as the myki system modernises.

“I value your perspective on the impact of changes to the ticketing system for your members.”

The RTBU will continue working hard to hold him and the operators accountable.

CAMERA Right to Left: RTBU Representatives Victor Moore, Darren Galea, Vik Sharma, Creton Costas, Whitney Murphy, Michael Muscat, Brian Penza, David Paton and Fotios Vrionis meet with Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll (centre)

Campaign to get Retired Employees Travel Pass Restored

The fight continues to restore the Retired Employees Travel Pass for long-serving public transport workers – a much-loved condition that was removed by the former Kennett Government for employees who commenced work on the newly-privatised metropolitan train and tram system in 1999.

Vik Sharma said the RTBU was pushing the Victorian Government to change the policy so all public transport workers who do 20 years on the job, regardless of their start date, are entitled to the travel pass.

“It is not a simple pass for our members –it is a badge of honour they must receive in recognition of giving two decades of their lives to public transport.

“We cannot allow Jeff Kennett to continue to hurt our workers in 2023.”

A resolution supporting the right of all public transport workers to be eligible for the Retirement Travel Pass was passed by the Victorian State Labor conference last month.

Vik said restoration of the travel pass was a part of all logs of claims for the current public transport Enterprise Agreement negotiations.

“Members who have already retired after doing 20 overs and have been knocked back by the PTV will absolutely not be forgotten and are part of this campaign,” Vik said.

“ It is not a simple pass for our members – it is a badge of honour they must receive in recognition of giving two decades of their lives to public transport. ”

Changes to WorkCover

The Victorian Government is making structural changes to the WorkCover scheme citing increased costs and long-term efficacy and sustainability of the program, but the RTBU holds concerns with the potential impact on members in need.

Since 2010 the number of WorkCover claims has tripled, workers are staying on the scheme for longer and premiums for business are at an all-time low. The current proposal rests of 4 pillars of reform outlined below.

Proudly, Victoria has the strongest scheme in Australia and even across the world. This is not something that Australian unions will allow to be watered down easily.

In the 2021/22 financial year 2.9% of Victorian workers had time off from work due to a work-related injury. Mental health claims make up 17.13% of the total, up from 14.88% the year before and on track to become 1/3 of all claims by the end of the decade.

Tragically, only 40% of workers with a mental injury return to work within 6 months. Within the same period 73% of workers with physical injury return to work. More must be done.

While it is easy to recognise that the scheme needs modernisation and employers should be asked to pay their share, the RTBU is concerned about the scope of claims covered under the proposal and a lack of details on how assessments will be conducted.

Eligibility to continue to receive payments after 130 weeks will be changed. The current requirement they be incapacitated for all work for the foreseeable future will remain in place. In addition, they will now need to have a Whole Person Impairment (WPI) of more than 20% (an additional test).

If a worker’s injury has not stabilised at 130 weeks, they may continue to be eligible to receive payments if an Independent Medical Examiner (IME) finds that they are likely to have a permanent injury.

The RTBU is concerned that the WPI assessment guides are inflexible and give

more weight to certain types of injury over others and are highly subjective with respect to mental health injuries and don’t take into consideration individual circumstances such as capacity for re-training or language barriers. Thus far the government has not been able to quantify the number of workers that will be impacted by this change in assessment and how many future workers will be booted off the scheme after 130 weeks.

Initial eligibility for WorkCover will be changed in relation to mental health injuries. To receive compensation, work will need to be the predominant cause of the injury (as opposed to “a significant contributing factor” as applies to physical injuries.

Mental health claims for things like stress, anxiety, overwork and burnout will no longer be eligible for compensation, however mental injuries arising from workplace harassment, bullying and traumatic events will.

The RTBU is concerned with the use of different tests including a mental health test not currently used elsewhere in Australia. Further, difficulties in accessing specialist medical care to differentiate between types and levels of mental health injury means workers may trigger long wait times to obtain a certificate that satisfies the eligibility criteria.

The exclusion of particular mental health injuries also means WorkSafe will no longer investigate complaints from workers injured by workplace hazards such as overwork and burnout and to date we have not been told how many workers stand to be impacted by this change.

The government will create a new body provisionally entitled ‘Return to Work Victoria’. This is a structural change in the way support is provided and how. RTW Victoria will pay medical and like

expenses for all workers who lodge a claim for WorkCover for up to 13 weeks, regardless of whether their WorkCover claim is accepted. RTW Victoria will also assist in rehabilitation, and re-training where possible with a view to getting Victorians off the scheme and back to work. The RTBU is broadly supportive of this change however there are several unknowns regarding the structure, remit and statutory powers of the body for which we are seeking further information.

Employer premiums will rise to an average of 1.8% of payroll, an increase of 42% on current average premiums for employers. Given premiums have been steadily decreasing over the last 20 years and employers should be encouraged to do more to help prevent workplace injuries before they happen, the RTBU is supportive of this measure and firmly believes further increases should be sought to fund a broader scope of injuries supported by the scheme. Shortfalls in revenue should be made up by increasing premiums, not cutting access or assistance.

Overall, there remains to be further information provided by government on the significance and detail of changes and the RTBU is continuing to advocate for changes that do not potentially jeopardise the livelihoods of members.

Should you have any queries relating to these changes, please contact your union organiser or the union office on 8630 9100.

South Australia’s trams and trains are coming home

The South Australian Government has announced that the state’s privatised train and tram operations will be returned to public control, with all parties signing a deal that will see operational functions for Adelaide’s trains returned to public hands within two years.

The agreement will see train operator Keolis Downer Adelaide and tram operator Torrens Connect (AMO) hand back operational functions by January 2025 and July 2025 respectively. Under negotiated agreement, however, the private companies will continue to manage maintenance and infrastructure functions on the train and tram networks.

This is the first time in Australia that decision to privatised public transport service has been taken back by a State Government. The only other instances of privatised rail services going back into public hands in Australia are when National Express voluntarily handed the keys to V/Line back to the Victorian Government in 2002, and when the Tasmanian Government took back the state’s rail freight business back from Pacific National on 2009.

National Secretary Mark Diamond congratulated Premier Peter Malinauskas and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis for getting the deal done and delivering on a key election promise.

“Peter Malinauskas had the courage to promise to bring public transport back under public control, and Tom Koutsantonis had the smarts to make it happen. “There is a very clear lesson here for other State and Territory Governments around Australia – reversing bad privatisation decisions can be done.”

SA/NT Branch Secretary Darren Phillips said RTBU members ran a long and fierce campaign against the privatisation of transport services by the former Liberal State Government, because they knew that privatisation would be a dud deal for South Australians.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way RTBU members stood up against the privatisation of their jobs,” Darren said.

“This result shows how workers, their unions and their communities can be a powerful force when they all work together in the public interest.:

Darren said reversing the privatisation of trams and trains would be good for workers, good for commuters and good for taxpayers.

“This decision means taxpayers money that is budgeted for public transport will actually go into public transport - without a private company clipping the ticket on the way through.

“It means that the operator of our train and tram services will be directly accountable to the South Australian community - and to commuters - not to corporate shareholders.

“And it means that transport workers will be able to negotiate with an employer that cares about South Australians, and cares about more than just maximising profits. South Australian Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said essential public service belonged in public hands.

“Today’s outcome is not a reflection on the companies involved, but of our firm belief that public transport belongs to the public – it should be run for the benefit of all South Australians, rather than for private profit or in a bid to impose budget savings that never materialise,” he said.

“Today we have consigned this unnecessary privatisation to history.”

Darren Phillips said affected members would be given further detail about the transition back to public sector employment through Consultative Committee meetings with Keolis Downer and Torrens Connect.

“In the meantime, we’ll be seeking full briefings from the employers and the State Government, and will work to ensure that members are kept fully informed through the transition process,” Darren said.

“We will also continue advocating to see all workers on the passenger train and tram networks, including infrastructure and maintenance workers, are ultimately transferred back into the public sector.”

Now Represented at Spring St

At the last state election, former RTBU Branch Secretary Luba Grigorovitch was elected to the Victorian legislative assembly and has since been a voice to transport workers in parliament. We have always found an ear for current transport issues with Luba who continues to be a fierce advocate for working people.

Get behind the referendum on The Voice

Unions across the country have long supported the campaign to recognise the original inhabitants of Australia in our national constitution.

As the union of Eddie Mabo, the RTBU has a long history of campaigning for social justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people both on the worksite and in daily life.

Assistant National Secretary Shayne Kummerfeld seconded the ACTU National Executive resolution to support the YES case in the referendum.

“Our history is rich and unique and begins with more than 65,000 years of continuous cultural connection to our land,” Shayne said.

“Yet our 122-year-old constitution still doesn’t recognise the Australians that were here first - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”

The proposed constitutional change also locks in a new advisory body to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which has been dubbed ‘The Voice’.

“Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters are simply asking to have a say when politicians are making laws that directly affect them,” Shayne explained.

Concerned about misinformation being circulated, he stressed the role it will play. “It will be an advisory body only, and won’t have the power to make laws,” he said.

“Experience shows that when grassroots Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can give advice to Governments about decisions that affect them, better decisions are made.

“It’s a modest change to the constitution that will make a practical difference so we can move forward together.”

Shayne said the only way to amend the Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is by winning a ‘double majority’ in a Referendum.

“A double majority is the majority of voters across Australia and the majority of votes in the majority of states – so you need to get approval from four out of the six states.

“It is actually very difficult to win a referendum and get the ‘double majority’, so it is important that all union members get behind the campaign and show solidarity with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

“You can play a vital role in supporting our Indigenous brothers and sisters by being an extended voice to protect Indigenous rights and reconciliation, listening to the voices of Indigenous Elders, leaders and activists, and actively working towards greater Indigenous representation and empowerment within our Union and the wider community.”

“The RTBU encourages all members to learn about the deep connection that Indigenous Australians have with the land, the importance of Dreamtime stories and traditions, and the ongoing impact of colonisation on Indigenous communities. It is also important to recognise the resilience and strength of Indigenous people in the face of injustices such as the effects of forced removals, the stolen generation, and ongoing discrimination and inequality. The continuing struggle for Indigenous land rights, systemic racism and injustice is a fight that, together, we will not lose.”

Authorised by Vik Sharma, RTBU Victoria, 2/365 Queen St Melbourne 3000

The Voice To Parliament explained

WHAT IS THE 2023 REFERENDUM?

It requires a simple “yes” or “no” answer. But many people remain undecided about which way they’ll vote in the upcoming referendum on the First Nations Voice to Parliament.

WHAT IS THE VOICE TO PARLIAMENT?

In essence, the Voice to Parliament is about giving Indigenous communities a say on policies and laws that affect them, and that this Voice be enshrined in the Australian Constitution.

The question will ask: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal an Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

If a majority of Australians - as well as a majority of people in the majority of the six states - vote in favour, three clauses will be inserted into a new chapter in the Constitution.

These clauses will establish the Voice, allow it to advise the parliament and the executive level of government (the Governor-General, Prime Minister and ministers), and give parliament the power to make laws relating to how it will work, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures. The voice would not have the power to make spending or legislative decisions and will act only as a consultative body.

WHAT ARE THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE BEING ASKED TO DECIDE?

Should we recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in The Constitution, with a Voice?

Why Graham is backing The Voice

RTBU Delegate Graham Briggs explains why the upcoming referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is so important.

Q: Why is it so important that unions across Australia support the campaign?

Q: Where did you grow up?

I was born in Shepparton raised in Blackburn South and attended an all-Aboriginal boarding school founded by my late Aunt Hyulls Maris MBE out in Healesville, called Worawa Aboriginal College.

Q: What do you do for work?

I am currently employed by Programme Skilled Rail as a 2.2 (and nearly completed my 3.2 TFPC) and have lived in Tatura for the last 25 odd years.

Q: What does the Voice to Parliament represent to you and why is it so important?

For me, the Voice to Parliament would be a way for Aboriginal and Islander people to directly advise all levels of government about laws and policies that affect their lives. It’s about drawing a line on the poor outcomes from the long legacy of failed programs and broken policies, and listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Things like incarceration and child removal, housing, health and educational outcomes. The Voice is about making sure that what happens in the Federal Parliament is going to be a positive step forward both in terms of us as a nation, but also the life outcomes for First Nations people in Australia.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is important for several reasons. First and foremost, it provides a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a direct say in the laws and policies that affect their lives. This is particularly important given the history of dispossession, discrimination and marginalisation that Indigenous peoples have experienced in Australia.

Secondly, the Voice to Parliament would help to ensure that the government is held accountable for its actions and decisions with regards to Indigenous peoples. It would provide a mechanism for Indigenous people to monitor government policies and programs, and to provide feedback and advice on how these can be improved.

Thirdly, the Voice to Parliament would help to build greater understanding and awareness of Indigenous cultures and histories among the wider Australian population. By having a direct say in the workings of government, Indigenous people would be able to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions, and promote greater respect and recognition for their unique contributions to Australian society.

Overall, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is an important step towards reconciliation and healing, and towards building a more just and inclusive society for all Australians.

It is important for unions across Australia to support the Voice to Parliament for several reasons.

Firstly, unions have a long history of fighting for social justice and workers’ rights, and supporting the Voice to Parliament is an extension of that tradition. Unions understand that Indigenous people have been historically marginalised and disenfranchised, and the Voice to Parliament is an opportunity to address this injustice.

Secondly, the Voice to Parliament is not just an Indigenous issue, it is an issue for all Australians. Unions represent a diverse range of workers across the country, and supporting the Voice to Parliament is an important step towards building a more inclusive and equitable society. By giving Indigenous people a greater say in the decisions that affect their lives, we can work towards a more just and democratic society for everyone.

Thirdly, unions can play a key role in advocating for the Voice to Parliament and raising awareness about its importance among their members and the broader community. Unions have a strong network and a powerful voice, and they can use this influence to promote the need for greater Indigenous representation in the political process.

Overall, supporting the Voice to Parliament is an important way for unions to demonstrate their commitment to social justice and equality, and to work towards a more inclusive and democratic society for all Australians.

Q: How can other union members help out to ensure the campaign is successful?

There are several ways that union members across Australia can sup port the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament: Educate yourself: Take the time to learn about the history and ongoing struggles of Indigenous peoples in Australia. This will help you to understand why the Voice to Parliament is important and why it deserves your support.

Raise awareness: Talk to your union colleagues, friends and family about the need for greater Indige nous representation in the political process. Share information about the Voice to Parliament and why it is important.

Lobby your politicians: Write to your local MPs and Senators and urge them to support the Voice to Parliament. You can also participate in rallies and protests to put pres sure on the Government to take action.

Support Indigenous-led cam paigns: There are many Indige nous-led campaigns and organi sations working towards greater political representation for Indige nous peoples. Consider donating money or volunteering your time to these groups.

Embrace reconciliation: Partici pate in reconciliation events and initiatives in your workplace and community. This can help to build greater understanding and respect for Indigenous cultures and histo ries, and create a more inclusive and equitable society for all Australians.

Q: How will the Voice to Parliament change things for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?

The Aboriginal Voice to Parliament is an important step towards repairing the past wrongs that have previously denied Aboriginal and Torres

Overall, the Aboriginal Voice to Parliament is an important tool for repairing the past wrongs that have previously denied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples a voice in our society. It is a step towards building a more just, equitable and inclusive society for all Australians, and towards achieving

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Timeline

65,000 years ago

Artifacts discovered in the

40,000 years ago

1938

in

provide evidence that Aboriginal peoples have been living here for at least 65,000 years.

1901

Australia became a Federation. The Constitution stated that Aboriginal People would not be counted in the census, as they were not recognised as citizens. The Commonwealth had the power to make laws relating to any race of people in Australia except for Aborigines. The Federated States retained power over Aboriginal affairs until the Constitution was amended in 1967.

The remains of Mungo Lady and Mungo Man discovered in the Willandra Lakes Region of New South Wales are 40,00042,000 years old, making them the oldest human remains found in Australia.

1868

The Aboriginal Protection Act was passed in Victoria, allowing the government to forcibly remove Aboriginal children from their families and place them in institutions or with white families.

understanding the past . .

1962

1967

A referendum was held, which resulted in over 90% of Australians voting to include Aboriginal people in the national census, and to give the federal government the power to make laws for Aboriginal people.

1972

On 26 January, the Tent Embassy was established on the lawns in front of what is now known as Old Parliament House. It was established by Indigenous activists as a way to draw attention to the troubles faced by Indigenous Australians, and to demand greater recognition and rights for their people.

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is still in place today as an important symbol of the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and recognition in Australia, and a reminder of colonisation and its impact on Indigenous people.

The Commonwealth Electoral Act was amended to allow all Aboriginal people to vote in federal elections.

1938: The Day of Mourning was organised by Aboriginal people in Sydney to protest their treatment by the Australian government.

Madjedbebe rock shelter

Mirrarr Country, Northern Arnhem Land

30,000 years ago

Fragments of grinding stones dating back at least 30,000 years have been found at the archaeological site at Cuddie Springs in New South Wales. Aboriginal peoples may have been the first people in the world to grind seeds for flour and bake bread.

18,000 years ago

THE ICE AGE Indigenous Australians were able to adapt to the changing environment and developed sophisticated strategies for survival.

11,000 years ago

Sea levels began to rise as ice caps melted. Land bridges between mainland Australia and Tasmania were flooded. This resulted in Tasmanian Aboriginal people being isolated for the next 12,000 to 13,000 years.

Colonisation led to widespread conflict and violence between Aboriginal people and settlers. Many Aboriginal people were killed, and their land was taken away. Diseases brought by settlers also devastated Aboriginal communities.

The 1850s gold rush in Victoria and New South Wales led to further loss of Aboriginal land and resources.

1788

The First Fleet landed in Port Jackson and British settlement in Australia began. Clashes between Aboriginal people and the settlers were reported over the next 10 years in the Parramatta and Hawkesbury areas.

1770

Captain James Cook sailed into Botany Bay on the Endeavour on 29 April 1770. After an encounter with the local Aboriginal people, Cook wrote that “all they seem’d to want was us to be gone”. Cook raised the British flag at Possession Island, off Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.

changing the futu r e .

1800s 1992 2008

The High Court of Australia recognised native title rights for the first time in the Mabo v Queensland case, which allows Aboriginal people to make claims over land based on their traditional connection to it.

On 13 February, the Prime Minister offered a formal apology on behalf of the nation to Australia’s Indigenous peoples — particularly the Stolen Generations — acknowledging the wrongs done through the forced removal of children from their families.

2021

The Uluru Statement from the Heart was released, calling for a First Nations Voice to be enshrined in the Australian Constitution, and for a Makarrata Commission to supervise treaty-making and truth-telling processes.

Around the Traps

Protect the Service –Keep locos in-house

The RTBU is calling on V/Line to scrap existing and future plans to lease out its fleet of mainline N-class diesel locomotives.

V/Line operates 25 N-Class locos but there are plans to lease out six, as early as this month.

And there are fears this number may increase as their utilisation on passenger services drops with the introduction of the new Velocity trains.

RTBU Victoria Branch Secretary Vik Sharma said there were issues over what will happen to the locos, how they will be maintained, and if they will be lost to state, with question marks over their long-term reliability and availability for Victorian freight operations.

“We want to know if, under the terms of the lease, these locomotives will remain in Victoria to benefit Victoria’s rail freight, and assist in the modal shift getting trucks off the road,” Vik said. “Or will it be a free-for-all with them all going interstate and no longer benefitting the people of Victoria.

“The Government seems to be letting V/ Line do what they want or are oblivious to what is happening, but either way they are beating the drum about Port Rail yet seem to be disposing of these assets as if they are nothing.

“If we don’t make sufficient trains available more freight will simply end up back on Victoria’s roads.

“We can only avoid that by maintaining full capacity on the freight network and by having sufficient locos available to ensure fewer cancellations due to maintenance issues.”

Vik said the needs of Victorian rail system should be a priority before any locos are hired out.

“These are state-owned assets and it’s in the best interest of all Victorians and all Victorian rail workers that they remain on the V/Line roster,” he said.

“Maintenance is a key issue here, as V/ Line maintenance workers rely on these locos for their jobs, and have the experience and skills to keep them running reliably and safely.”

V/Line’s expertise even extended to the basic components essential to the locos’ safe and reliable operations.

“Because V/Line is maintaining an entire fleet, it has total control over who it is ordering from, and what and how many components it needs.

‘This contrasts with private operators, which may end up operating only one or two N-class locos in their entire fleet.

“So the questions arise: Where will the leased locos be maintained and by whom? And on components, where will they come from and will they of a quality that maintains V/Line’s high standards.”

Vik said the Labor Government should ensure V/Line makes better use of its locos instead of just leasing them out.

“The Overland is currently hauled under contract by Pacific National locos,” he said. “But there is no reason why that contract could not eventually stipulate that it uses V/Line locos.

“And you could argue that there were passenger services promised back in the Bracks and Kennett eras that never eventuated, so as Velocity replaces the locos on existing routes they could be redeployed on new ones.”

Vik said other V/Line locos such as the P-class could also be used on operations such as the Infrastructure Evaluation Vehicle, the high-tech rail inspection system currently hauled by privately owned locos.

“The IEV is borrowed from Metro, which previous Governments privatised, and hauled by privately owned locos.

“It should be the other way around, with both the IEV and locos being brought back in house.”

“ If we don’t make sufficient trains available more freight will simply end up back on Victoria’s roads. ”

CAMERA Below, N458 on a Swan Hill service to Southern Cross. Photo: Wikimedia

Longest Serving Woman Tram Driver

Congratulations Karen Edwards

Karen Edwards, longest serving woman tram driver of over 45 years retired last week. To recognise her contribution to the industry and our union the RTBU hosted a morning tea and awarded Karen a plaque where she shared stories and lessons from a life in the service of Melbourne’s commuters.

Starting out as 21 year old conductor in November 1977, Karen joined the tramways after her previous employer closed its doors and laid off its employees. Her father having worked in the tramways in the 60s, and contact with other friends and family members already on the rails, she was encouraged to apply. She has worked out of Essendon Depot since and seen many changes over the years.

Approximately two years later she applied to become a tram driver. “I figured I knew how to drive a car,” she recalls thinking of her decision to apply for the job. This was only 9 years after Joyce Barry was employed as the first woman tram driver on the entire network at Brunswick Depot. “I didn’t like office work, I liked being outdoors, being on the road,” she fondly recounted, “being a tram driver gave the feeling of being my own boss without someone looking over my shoulder.”

She recalls cultural changes like how the women in the early days would congregate together in the meal rooms and how trams would be touch parked, bumper to bumper in the sheds to fit them in.

Social club events, depot sporting activities like the Public Transport Table

Tennis Association, were of significant importance to social culture and solidarity on the network where she loved talking footy (Go Cats!) and keeping in touch with her colleagues. “[The social events] were key to us bonding and feeling a sense of family and belonging.”

The community element has always been an important driver. “It feels great being thanked by the passengers, being able to give them a comfortable ride. It’s unfortunate how over the years, chatter on the trams has been replaced by headphones and people glued to screens.”

“We would build strong relationships with regular commuters and help them as best possible,” she told us, setting into the story of a blind man whom they assisted to have traffic lights installed near the stop on Matthews Avenue, “these are the proud moments really.”

But her mood darkened as her attention shifted to the 1990 strike where Kennett sought to axe the tram conductors. “It was so cruel, they were given 15 minutes to pack their bags and get off the premises. That was the saddest day on the job”

But nobody let it happen without a fight. “It was really us against them in a fight we had to have!” she exclaimed.

When the union got word that management were planning to shut off the power to the trams, the Delegates called up their members and they took over the depots by force, and organised to drive the trams into the city streets where they stayed for 33 days.

Asked of the silliest thing that took place over her career, she pointed to the One Person Operations that had Drivers processing tickets. This resulted in long waits at every stop as people queued up and ground the services to a snail’s pace. “That didn’t last long,” Karen laughed. She points to the introduction of the ‘fairway’, tram only lanes, as a significant improvement to services, something the RTBU continues to fight for to this day. More priority lights and more separation of car and tram traffic.

“I feel like I started in a black and white photo and have retired in 3D digital colour,” she told us. What a journey! Karen will miss the social aspects of the job the most, always having rotated and worked across all shifts to keep in touch with everyone at the depot. She’s looking forward to more time available to walk her dog and read.

The RTBU wishes Karen all the best in her retirement and thanks her for her service to our industry union.

45 proud years on the tramways have built character, friends and important memories of change on the network.

“

I didn’t like office work, I liked being outdoors, being on the road. ”

MICHAEL GRAY

What is your current job role? Boilermaker at Puffing Billy Railway.

How long have you been in the industry and what other jobs have you done before?

I have been in the rail industry for almost a year and a half and previously worked in the automotive industry for about ten years.

What is the most challenging aspect of your role as delegate?

Puffing Billy presents some unique challenges for me as a delegate. As an organisation that grew from voluntary roots the idea of a union presence being necessary is foreign concept to some of the older staff members. Much of my recruitment strategy has revolved around myth busting a lot of the misinformation people have absorbed about what a union does.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a delegate?

Having the ability to provide support to my fellow members. The balance of power in Australia is heavily tipped in favour of the employers and being able to level the playing field a little brings me great joy.

How do you spend your time away from work?

Outside of work I spend as much time as possible curled up with my elderly cat and a good book.

JULIAN COLEMAN

Current job role?

Conductor with V/Line based out of Bendigo.

Work history and prior experience?

I joined the railways in 2009, so 14 years now. I have a landscape gardening certification, Certificate 3 in Horticulture and an Automotive qualification.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

Everybody has a different personality and different needs. It’s learning how to balance their wants and needs with their workplace rights and those of the collective.

... and most rewarding?

Seeing people get what their entitled to and seeing that people are treated fairly.

When you’re not working?

I love spending time with my family and my grandsons.

A surprising fact about yourself?

Wow, that’s hard because I’m such an open book.  I’d have to say it would be that I’m colour blind. I found out in primary school that it affects me with blues and purples.

BIANCA BARNARD

Current job role?

I currently work full time as a Station Officer 2 at Mernda Railway Station

Work history?

I joined Metro in May of 2010, back then we were classed as RFR staff, working 4 hours a day. I have proudly completed 13 years within Metro and WOW time flies! I am so grateful and proud at what I’ve achieved so far.

Prior experience?

After graduating year 12, I worked full-time at McDonalds and worked part-time at a Pizza/ Pasta restaurant taking orders and serving food. On Saturdays I would work at an equestrian riding school, teaching children how to ride and take care of horses.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate? Breakdown in communication channels round issues that require resolution can be frustrating but I have learnt there are other avenues we can always work through.

DELEGATE PROFILES

I see attacks from people who don’t want to see you to succeed as an opportunity to learn and grow. .. and most rewarding?

Meeting like-minded people, having the opportunities to speak to inspirational, experienced men & woman who have so much to bring to the union and workplace. It’s rewarding to hear successful, positive stories and I’m inspired to grow my knowledge and network even more.

When you’re not working?

Since I was a little girl I have had an expensive obsession with horses and own 4 amazingly sweet and spoilt horses. When I’m not working, I enjoy trail riding, camping in the country and just being out in nature and sunshine. There is no better place on earth like the country, open spaces, fresh air and time away from the bustle of the city.

A surprising fact about yourself?

I am loud and outspoken which at times comes across as arrogant and rude to some. I admire honesty and true intentions.

JON SAW

Current job role, history and prior experience?

I’ve been in rail over 25 years. Worked as Track Laborer, Undergear Repair Laborer, Signal Assistant and the last 15 years as a Line Worker Assistant with Metro.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

dealing with management to achieve fair and reasonable outcomes for members.

... and most rewarding?

Making the industry better for all.

When you’re not working?

My downtime is spent fishing as often as I can.

GRAHAM FYFFE

Current job role?

Authorised Officer Crew Leader

Work history and prior experience?

I’ve been with Metro 22 years. Earlier I worked as a Manager at the Northcote Group of the Commonwealth Bank for 26 Years where I also served as President of the Comm Bank Officers Association and then Finance Sector Union as a member of the National Executive

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

Dealing with management to keep them honest and ensure hard won conditions are maintained.

... and most rewarding?

Assisting members with their issues, keeping them informed of what is happening and pointing out the added benefits of being a member. Being involved on the bargaining team the past 3 EAs makes me proud to be a member of RTBU team that achieves the best possible results for members.

When you’re not working?

I have lots of fun with my 3 grandkids, shooting and watching the Tigers play AFL at the MCG amongst other sports.

CAMERA Bianca Barnard with Horse Apache

MAX TOCCI

Current job role?

I am currently working as a Tram Driver at Southbank Tram Depot.

Work history and prior experience?

I have been working as a driver since November 2008. In my life before driving, I worked in hospitality were I managed a cafe as well as several hotels.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

The most challenging aspect is ensuring I am across all aspects of our enterprise agreement, and all relevant workplace laws including WorkCover. We currently have an unprecedented amount of drivers on WorkCover due to injuries caused by E-Class trams. The hand master controller which has a vigilance ball that must be held down, has caused a number of carpal tunnel and shoulder injuries.  The challenge is to ensure members are across the complex WorkCover system and holding Yarra Trams accountable in return to work or alternative jobs in the industry.

... and most rewarding?

The most rewarding part of being a Union Delegate earning the trust of members. It’s always satisfying to see your input on matters, such as disciplinary or workplace practices, make a difference for the better. Building relationships with both members and proxy delegates also form strong bonds and lasting friendships.

When you’re not working?

When I am not at work I like to travel as much as possible. I also am a passionate Carlton supporter. I also just like spending time with my wonderful family.

MATT LEPAGE

Current job role?

I’m currently working as Assistant Team Leader from Metro at Batman Infrastructure Depot.

Work history and prior experience?

I started in Rail in 2008 and previously worked in the mining sector.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

Not being able to make everyone happy all the time. Being able to always remain professional and keep personal feelings to one side.

... and most rewarding?

Seeing my fellow members walk out of a meeting with a great result. Especially when it was believed that they may not get a favourable result.

When you’re not working?

I enjoy the outdoors hunting, camping, fishing. I also enjoy travelling overseas and learning about other cultures and ways that people live!

JOHN LUKER

Current job role?

Tram Driver and RTBU Delegate for Tram Drivers at Malvern Tram Depot. Work history and prior

experience?

10.5 years in the industry with roles in admin and production.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

Building and maintaining unity between Membership, Division and Branch.

... and most rewarding?

Interacting with and supporting Members on the shop floor

When you’re not working?

Camping in the great outdoors and learning and upskilling about emerging technologies.

DELEGATE PROFILES

BOB BASSETT

Current job role?

I am a conductor with V/Line based in Ballarat and hold the voluntary elected position of South Western Sub-Branch Secretary with the RTBU.

Work history and prior experience?

I’ve been in rail for 40 years. I started as a Shunter, then a Guard in the goods yard, then a Guard/ Second Person on the trains then eventually a Conductor. Prior to rail I worked for the Tasmanian government.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

Negotiating with management to try and get better outcomes for the members.

... and most rewarding?

Contact with people on the job.

When you’re not working?

I am heavily involved with Ballarat Trades and Labour Council and I also have a number of interests with motor vehicles. I like to get to Tasmania as often as I can to visit with old friends and my family.

A surprising fact about yourself?

That I’m from Tasmania.

KEN CASTLE

Current job role?

I’m a Call Centre Representative (Tier 3) on the PTV Campaign at Probe Group.

Work history and prior experience?

I’ve been working in call centres my entire working life, since about 2005, but I’ve been with the PTV campaign since 2017.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

The most challenging part of being a Delegate is trying to figure out what to do next. I find negotiating comes fairly naturally; however it’s working out strategies to best tackle issues members bring to me.

... and most rewarding?

Seeing resolutions to issues that have been raised.

When you’re not working?

I like to relax with tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons.

When you’re not working?

I share the same birthday as Bob Hawke, December 9.

MATTHEW PURCELL

Current job role?

TVO operator and TFPC / safe working at MetroInfrastructure E-Gate

Work history and prior experience?

Been in the Rail industry for 5 years. Before this I worked in the Civil construction industry as well as the oil & gas sectors.

Greatest challenge as a Delegate?

Can be challenging at times to appease all members.

... and most rewarding?

When you get a successful outcome for a member or team more broadly there is a great sense of achievement!

When you’re not working? Family comes first and travelling this incredible planet that we all call home.

Flexible Work Changes - what does it mean for members?

New laws have introduced changes to employers’ obligations in relation to how they respond to flexible work requests. It is now compulsory for your employer to discuss a request for flexible working arrangements with the employee, genuinely attempt to reach an agreement and consider the consequences of a refusal for the employee.

If a dispute about these requests can’t be resolved at the workplace, the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) can now rule on whether the employer has demonstrated reasonable business grounds in refusing a flexible work request.

The right to request flexible working arrangements has also been expanded to include employees where they are pregnant, or where they or a member of their immediate family or household, experiences family or domestic violence. Mothers, Fathers, over 55s, employees with disabilities, employees caring for elderly parents, those seeking a transition to retirement, can all benefit from flexible arrangements for help with those periods in life where managing both work and home becomes challenging. Further additional training will be provided to Delegates to ensure members can access assistance with flexible work requests at the workplace level.

RTBU ran an online explainer session for members earlier in the year. This was well attended and brought forward a number of great questions and cases. If you missed out or want to find out more, contact us on 8630 9100 or email rtbu@rtbuvic.com.au

always busy out visiting members and tackling issues head on

CAMERA Amanda running a session

Sally van Bragt

DRIVER TAKES A STAND ON SAFER TRACKSIDE PATHWAYS

A South Australian member has taken the first steps in a campaign to provide proper trackside pathways on rail corridors in the Adelaide Hills.

Train driver Paul Hamilton, who drives for SCT-owned RailPro Services from Penfield, SA, fears a lack of trackside pathways puts drivers at risk, and could even lead to train runaways.

And he is waging war with ARTC with a series of reports pointing out this is a very serious issue.

“It’s an issue that exists along the whole Adelaide Hills line, where there are no defined paths in the area,” Paul said. “Drawings also don’t match reality, and they have ballasted over old paths that may have once been there.

“So it’s difficult to get to the back of the train if there is an incident.”

Paul’s reports are compiled from his and other drivers’ experiences on the line, and are backed by vivid pictures and diagrams that use ARTC’s own methodology. In one report sent to ARTC he said he “would think a duty of care exists … to a greater level than it does presently.”

Paul explained that if a train coupling parts, or for some other reason a driver needs to leave the loco, the train must be secure so that it does not run away.

“There are time constraints,” he said. “We do an air test before departure that guarantees the brakes will stay on for an hour.

“But the situation could be very serious on a long train, especially if you run out of time and the brakes don’t hold.”

In one of his reports Paul noted that walking the track is also dangerous, with embankments, cuttings and bridges usually having no pathways and often featuring deep cuttings and very steep terrain.

“Ballast is unstable,” he wrote. “It has a sinking unstableness and a brittleness when not packed down. Ballast becomes an uneven surface when not packed. It is a contributor to soft tissue injuries from slips, trips or falls. The track corridor is (also) expected to be traversed by foot in all weather conditions.”

The problems with the condition of rail corridors mean that workers are being put in a position where they need to consider taking risks to get to where they need to be. Furthermore, tracksides are littered with hazards.

“There is brake rigging and brake blocks, bits of wagon laying in the high grass, snakes, potholes and even old station drains,” Paul said.

“Recently my mate had to carry a length of heavy chain and a knuckle – weighing 20kg to 30kg – a couple of hundred metres.

“Even though that was on a level section, he was stumbling over rocks and uneven surfaces.

“Another mate took a photo of a bridge over a fairly large creek. It is on a high, steep embankment, and to get down you have to almost tumble down the side and then scramble up the other side to get back to your train.”

Paul said pathways were once a critical issue but “they’ve let it go”.

“My father was a guard, and pathways were an issue guards would push for when they’d have to change a staff or shunt in certain locations.

‘But a lot of that is gone, so a lot of the walking is gone, and unless you ‘come apart’ you are not out of the loco.”

As a result, track authorities are not paying attention.

Paul is locked in a battle with ARTC, but so far with little joy.

“They are only addressing the little issues, while the rest is ignored,” he said.

“But ARTC has asked for more details, so we’ve stirred them up a bit and are now considering getting come flyers out and mounting a wider campaign.

“It’s important, as I’m just one bloke who is doing something, but it makes you wonder what they are doing in other places like Inland Rail?”

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

Transport unions meet to share winning strategies

The occasion was the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Railways, Road and Urban Transport Conferences, with over 500 delegates from 90 countries and 185 national trade unions in attendance.

Unions discussed issues impacting transport workers around the world - from solidarity-based strategies to eliminate xenophobia in Southern African road transport, through to developing socially-just trade union approaches to combat the underlying causes of the industry’s current crises: chronic underinvestment, cuts to services, deregulation and privatisation.

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said unions were developing transformative policies and programs to shift the balance of power from capital to workers in the road, rail and urban transport sectors.

“Building cooperation and unity between unions in road, rail and urban transport gives us the capacity and strength needed to lead the industrial and political changes that transport workers and our society need,” Stephen said.

“Worldwide, our societies were ravaged by Covid-19, which led not only to a continuing health crisis but also increased wealth inequality in and between countries.

“Now, in a post-pandemic phase where cost of living is spiralling out of control in many countries, workers and their unions are demanding that governments put workers’ and society’s demands first.”

ITF’s 2022 Global Poll showed the public overwhelmingly supports union demands on transport, with a larger percentage believing governments are failing their citizens in handling transport issues generally.

RTBU Assistant National Secretary Shayne Kummerfeld led the RBTU delegation to the conferences. Shayne said the conferences passed important motions on:

ä Defending transport workers’ jobs pay and conditions

ä Improving long-distance passenger transport

ä Winning greater investment in public transport and the need for public ownership

ä Strengthening safety and health in public transport workplaces

ä Ensuring the transport workers ‘get home safely’

ä Expanding and investing in metro organising

ä Demanding the electrification public transport workers want

ä Driving LGBT+ equality in the public transport sector worldwide

ä Disability equality in the railway sector worldwide

“There was a lot of interest in the way the RTBU has dealt with these issues in Australia,” Shayne said.

“For example, delegates were shown a video about our campaign to see the New Intercity Fleet trains in NSW retro-fitted to address a range of significant safety concerns.

“NSW Secretary Alex Claassens then gave a powerful speech about how the RTBU campaign won the day, and forced the NSW Government to fix the safety problems that workers had identified.

“It’s important for Australian workers to have a say in the way the global transport union movement operates, and how we can work together to leverage our global power.

“We can learn from the strategies that other unions are pursuing to achieve justice for their members, and it’s great to be able to able to share our successful strategies as well.”

Transport unions from around the world met in Johannesburg, South Africa, during March for the largest global meeting of transport workers’ representatives from the rail, road and urban transport sectors.

NEW YORK TRANSIT OFFICERS WIN BETTER PAY AND RESPECT

New York’s bus and subway workers are set to receive a 9.8 per cent pay rise over the next three years, while stopping proposed cuts to their benefits, thanks to tough talking by their union and the support of the global union movement.

After intense negotiations, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) of America reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

In addition to the pay increases, the workers won a USD $4,000 essential worker cash bonus payment and stood firm against the company’s attempts to double healthcare deductions.

100 members at MTA will work under a contract that provides dignity, respect and better working conditions.”

Paddy also paid tribute to TWU International President John Samuelsen, who is a powerful voice in the New York and United States workers’ struggle.

The union successfully resisted an MTA bid to change overtime rules so that workers would only receive payments if

“After everything that New York’s bus and subway workers went through to keep transport moving during the pandemic, it’s a disgrace that the MTA wanted to make such a big fight of this; that they wanted workers to pay for management’s failings,” said ITF General Secretary. Stephen Cotton.

“The ITF was proud to stand in solidarity with TWU members and we’re delighted

FRANCE SAYS TAKE A TRAIN, NOT A PLANE

Why would you take a short haul flight when you can take a train instead?

The French Government believes the benefits of rail over air travel are becoming clearer, especially in light of growing concerns over the environmental impact of transport-related greenhouse emissions.

In fact, France has now banned shorthaul flights on routes that could be taken in less than 2 ½ hours by train.

The ban came about following a recommendation from President Macron’s Citizens’ Convention on Climate in 2019.

The Citizen’s Climate Convention, which comprised 150 members of the French public, initially proposed scrapping plane journeys that could be taken by train in under 4 hours – but this was wound back after lobbying from some regions and major airlines.

The ban affects three particular routes: those connecting Paris-Orly to Lyon, Nantes and Bordeaux - although Air France stopped services on those routes in 2020 as part of a deal with the French Government for COVID-related financial support.

Other routes that could have fallen within the laws included Roissy-Charles-deGaulle to Lyon, and Lyon to Marseille, however these were given exemptions due to their status of those airports as ‘hubs’ for long-haul flights.

Critics of the laws claim they are just symbolic, but RTBU Assistant National Secretary Shayne Kummerfeld said the laws were a sign of things to come.

“Countries now have binding targets to reach under the UN’s Paris Agreement. They need to find ways to bring down their carbon emissions, and transport has an important role to play in that.

Just for fun

Following the opening of Union Station on the Lilydale/Belgrave line in May, this graphic did the rounds courtesy of an RTBU member recognising the work done by the RTBU to support the classifications of station staff members.

“Air travel is a carbon-intensive mode of travel, so rail is extremely well-placed to do more of the heavy lifting for travel between major cities, particularly in Europe.”

Shayne said the French laws also showed why an East Coast High Speed Rail network was inevitable in Australia.

“The Sydney to Melbourne flight route was the fifth busiest in the world in 2022.

“Moving a just a fraction of the passenger traffic on that route to a more sustainable mode like rail would deliver significant carbon savings.

“The case for High Speed Rail is only going to get more compelling in the future.”

THE BIG ISSUES: To bring down inflation, we must bring down profits

When Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced the appointment of Michele Bullock as new Governor of the Reserve Bank, he lauded her “fresh perspective.” That’s a stretch, given that Ms. Bullock has worked at the RBA since 1985. And no-one expects her to change course on interest rates, which the RBA hiked 12 times since last May.

By Jim Stanford

If indeed Ms. Bullock brings fresh eyes to this role, let’s hope she uses them to review a broader range of the factors causing inflation – rather than focusing myopically on the dangers of wage growth, like her predecessor Dr Philip Lowe.

From the outset of the current inflation, Lowe focused squarely on labour costs as the biggest worry – while rejecting that record corporate profit margins had anything to do with high prices.

For example, last month Lowe warned a Sydney business audience that rising labour costs were a clear and present danger in the fight against inflation. The 3000-word speech did not mention the word “profit” once. Previously, Lowe had dismissed outright concerns that record-high profits for Australian corporations since 2021 were connected to the simultaneous surge in inflation.

In short, Philip Lowe looked only to one side of the tracks in analysing what caused inflation – and what to do about it. That put him out of step with other central banks and many international institutions. They’ve produced volumes of research confirming higher profits accounted for the largest share of inflation since the pandemic.

These organizations are not wild-eyed radicals: they include the OECD, the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank for International Settlements, the European Central Bank and the European Commission. Here in Australia, studies from the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work confirmed the same thing happened here. This evidence that record profits, not undue wage growth, fueled post-COVID inflation sits uncomfortably with economic orthodoxy, which asserts by rote that that inflation always results from overheated labour markets, excess demand, and rising wages.

Will Ms Bullock more honestly consider this evidence, and adjust her policy approach accordingly? Her recent speech (just before being appointed Governor) claiming that unemployment must rise to reduce inflation does not inspire hope. This is not just a matter of intellectual debate or rhetorical finger-pointing. Understanding what causes inflation is vital to properly designing the remedy. International agencies are now grappling with how to shrink those record profit margins in order to both calm inflation and restore real wages (which fell sharply since 2021 in most countries, including Australia).

As ECB President Christine Lagarde recently put it, real wages can gradually recover in coming years – but only if profit margins decline. If they don’t, she warned, and businesses hang onto unusually large profits, then interest rates must remain higher for longer, with resulting economic and social pain.

International experience is now confirming the importance of lower profits to lower inflation. In the U.S., for example, profits eased 8% over the last six months, as inflation fell from 9% to 3%. Wage growth has hardly changed at all.

In Spain, an unconventional combination of policies – including price caps, excess profit taxes, and subsidies to low-income consumers and renters – has kept profits at or below historic norms. Spain’s inflation fell last month to just 1.9%, the lowest in Europe.

Canada’s experience is especially relevant to Australia, since it is also a major resource exporter. Profits there surged (like Australia) to record highs as inflation took off. They’ve since retreated by over 20%. Inflation has slowed in step: to 3.4% at last reading. An excess profits tax on banks, and special taxes on cash payouts by energy companies, helped.

The U.K. experience is the polar opposite. There, profits have kept soaring as companies exploit desperate consumers and still-fractured post-Brexit supply chains. Profits grew 17% in the last year, three times faster than wages. Not coincidentally, inflation remains at a painful 8.7% Australia, unfortunately, is closer to the British end of this spectrum. Despite falling world energy and commodity prices, corporate profits grew another 13% in the last year, faster than wages. The profit share of GDP remains at an all-time record high of 29%. Real wages are still falling. And inflation is still high: 7% last quarter

How do we get profit margins back down, supporting both lower inflation and a restoration of real wages? Many policies would help: price caps on essential products (like energy and rents), taxes on excess profits, support for wages to catch up, and limits on corporate concentration. And some of the needed moderation in profits will likely occur naturally – for both good reasons (restoration of pandemic-damaged supply chains) and bad (looming recession).

Most of those policies are beyond the remit of the RBA, requiring instead a multi-dimensional effort across government. But so long as the RBA denies that profits are even relevant, momentum to develop and enact that broader anti-inflation agenda will be stifled.

Ms Bullock could turn over a new leaf in RBA thinking by casting her “fresh” eyes more widely over both macroeconomic data and cumulating international research. And she should then acknowledge that the Bank’s single-minded focus on suppressing wages has been neither fair, nor effective.

Jim Stanford is Economist and Director of the Centre for Future Work.

CAMERA Reserve Bank Governor, Michele Bullock

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YOUR RTBU

NATIONAL OFFICE

National Secretary: Mark Diamond

Email: rtbu@r tbu.org.au

Tel: 02 8203 6099

NEW SOUTH WALES

Branch Secretary: Alex Claassens

Email: nswho@rtbu-nsw.asn.au

Tel: (02) 9264 2511

VICTORIA

Branch Secretary: Vik Sharma

Email: rtbu@rtbuvic.com.au

Tel: (03) 8630 9100

QUEENSLAND

Branch Secretary: Peter Allen

Email: info@r tbu.com.au

Tel: (07) 3839 4988

SOUTH AUSTRALIA & NORTHERN TERRITORY

Branch Secretary: Darren Phillips

Email: theteam@rtbusant.org.au

Tel: (08) 8243 2511 / Freecall 1800 801 063

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Branch Secretary: Joshua Dekuyer

Email: general@rtbuwa.asn.au

TEL: (08) 9225 6722

TASMANIA

Branch Secretary: Ric Bean

Email: tasadmin@r tbu.org.au

Tel: (03) 6228 6188