Darren Galea
Organiser
For some time now, there have been issues in V/Line relating to the guaranteed fortnight which is in the V/Line Rail Operations Enterprise Agreement 2015 – 2019. Issues were around a staff member arriving to work late and the company docking their guaranteed fortnight from the staff member.
Under clause 59 of the V/Line Agreement, this should not have occurred. The V/Line Agreement guarantees a 76 hour fortnight for staff, and under no circumstances should a staff member have this taken away from them.
The issue was raised with the RTBU and since then, the guaranteed fortnight issue has now been resolved. However, we have since become aware that our members have received letters from V/Line which highlight instances where they have been late to work on numerous occasions. Some instances raised by V/Line go back some three or even five years.
V/Line states that the letters are not a formal warning, however, they go on to say that the letter will remain on the individual employees file and that further instances of lateness may result in disciplinary action.
This is unacceptable and the RTBU has written to V/Line demanding that the letters be retracted asap. Since then, we have met to discuss the issue and the RTBU has been attempting to work through this issue with V/Line management.
If this is not eventually resolved in coming weeks, the RTBU will be formally disputing this and this issue could end up in the Fair Work Commission to be resolved.
