Industrial action - QR ?

[ozbob]

Few rumours flying around about possible action late this week?

Previous early warnings ...


From Courier Mail click here!

Citytrain, Traveltrain rail crews threat to strike
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Robyn Ironside

January 15, 2009 11:00pm

BRISBANE train drivers are preparing to walk off the job in the second week of February - shortly after school resumes.
A breakdown in negotiations for a new enterprise agreement has triggered the proposed action by Citytrain and Traveltrain crews.

Greg Smith from the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Engineers said the Industrial Relations Commission had given them the OK to strike, provided members supported the action. He said negotiations broke down over cuts to leisure time being sought by QR.

A QR spokesman said it was committed to working through any differences.

From ABC News  click here!

Qld train drivers consider industrial action

Posted Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:01am AEDT

Ballot papers will be sent to more than 900 Queensland train drivers and guards today asking them to vote on taking industrial action.

Citytrain staff from the Gold Coast to Bundaberg will vote in the electoral commission-run ballot following a breakdown in talks between Queensland Rail (QR) and unions over pay and conditions.

Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees state secretary Greg Smith says workers have safety concerns about fatigue under a proposed new roster.

"Queensland Rail want to reduce [workers'] current leisure period entitlement, their current days off they have," he said.

"[Workers] currently work one in three Sundays and [QR] want to increase the Sunday work so the train crew will be working every second Sunday.

"Increasing the weekend work doesn't do well with fatigue management and also there's a social issue of family life - most activity happens on the weekend.

"The train crews work enough weekends as it is and lose enough family life."

[ozbob]

Rumours are probably incorrect. There would have to be a period of notice.

Let's hope that negotiations are successful.

Admin

[ButFli]

No offence to any locomotive engineers that might be on the board, but I think they are asking for a bit much. In a job that supposedly has a 24/7 roster it is not unreasonable to have to work more than 1 in 4 Sundays. Maybe in a world where most drivers would be missing church and the shops were only open 5 days a week the rule was appropriate. Not any more.