Bryan Evans
Organiser
The first EA for 2019 has been finalised with Laing O’Rourke varying their Enterprise Agreement and bringing it in-line with industry standards. The Greenfields agreement that is currently in place although offering solid wages and conditions, lacked some of the fundamental rail conditions such as extended hours provisions and rostering protection that gives members control over their own work-life balance. The agreement was unanimously endorsed by members at a meeting held at E-Gate on Wednesday the 30 January and once ratified by the FWC, will be an agreement that members can be proud of.
Laing O’Rourke will now join John Hollands having signed 2018/2019 agreements. Downer Infrastructure will be commencing shortly and the Coleman Rail agreement is up for re negotiation in August this year, placing RTBU members in a good position to achieve a level of standardisation amongst tier 1 contractors that has been frustratingly absent for some time.
All rail workers across Victoria deserve the same set of fundamental wages and conditions no matter where in the industry they work, and we are one step closer to achieving that goal.
This year will be action packed with a number of EAs expiring in the Infrastructure, Rollingstock, Labour Hire and Workshops Division. If you have any queries or questions, feel free to call me on 0457 006 739
