It is proposed that the publication be representative of the Train Crew grade, with an issue being produced on a bi-monthly basis.

AFULE Elections

As the current term of AFULE Officers (except State Secretary) expires at 31 December 2001, I have notified the Industrial Registrar for a request of a conduct of elections.

The Electoral Commission, Queensland, has now finalised the following dates for nominations and conduct of a ballot if necessary.

• Nominations open 31 July 2001
• Nominations close 23 October 2001
• Ballot open 13 November 2001
• Ballot close 5 December 2001

Rule 13 (8) State President of the registered rules of the Union state "Unless otherwise determined by Divisional Council, the position of State President will be that of a full time paid position with salary and conditions equivalent to that of the State Secretary".

The Divisional Council has previously determined that the position of State President would be honorary until 31 December 2001.

The sitting of this Council will have to further determine whether the position of State President will remain as an honorary position or revert to a full time paid position. I have listed this issue as an agenda item as it will be crucial to those members aspiring to the position.

I urge all members to make a quick phone call to the State Office to confirm their postal addresses concurs to that of the membership roll.

There has been a recent trend in QR to reduce Drivers by stealth. There are currently Drivers throughout the State reduced in Status and pay to OSI.6 because of safe working infringements. The periods of reduction range from indefinitely to six month periods. I say they are reduced by stealth as QR's discipline policy states that reduction is not to be used as a punishment.

The Drivers in question were faced with the following offer; QR would terminate their employment unless they volunteered to reduce themselves in classification and pay. Faced with the daunting prospect of being dismissed and fighting the dismissal in an appeal to QRAB or an unfair dismissal in the Industrial Relations Commission, the Drivers had no real option but to voluntarily reduce themselves. This then means that as the reduction was voluntary then there is no avenue of appeal. This approach of reducing Drivers by stealth is contrary to negotiations when QR wanted to dismantle the now defunct Appeal Board under the Railway Act. In those negotiations, QR stated that they wished to introduce an Employment Management System, where the focus would not be punitive, but would offer assistance such as training and up-skilling rather than automatically reducing Drivers.

Even in the days when Driver's were reduced they were reduced one grade in rank to a Locomotive Assistant. Although this was a drop in pay, the financial impact was not as great as the Drivers are suffering now. Imagine trying to meet your financial commitments after being reduced in pay from the aggregate wage to that of OS1.6. QR's benevolent response to the plight of these Drivers is; "we could have dismissed them". By adopting this backdoor method of reductions, QR are their own investigators, jury and judge without any right of appeal.

It is apparent the master and slave mentality is alive and well in QR management and any Driver indiscretions are being met with punitive action. It's a shame that managements bloopers are not met with the same response.

At a recent SBU meeting, QR put on the table a proposal to do away with the avenue of appeal on dismissal to the Queensland Rail Appeal Board (QRAB) and have all dismissal appeals determined by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) under the Industrial Relations Act 1999.

The Act lays down basic principles which must be followed to fairly and lawfully dismiss employees this involves;

• Having sufficient reason for the dismissal - does the employee's conduct or performance justify a dismissal.
• Carrying out the dismissal in a way that is not harsh, unjust or unreasonable. The Act sets out a basic procedure to be followed to dismiss the employee fairly.
• Giving notice of dismissal to the employee in accordance with the Act or a relevant industrial instrument

If an employee feels they have been unfairly dismissed, they can apply to the Commission for reinstatement. Even though the Commission may consider a dismissal as unfair, it may not necessarily order reinstatement, but order compensation to be paid to the dismissed employee.

When ordering compensation, the maximum amount awarded must not be greater than;

• If the employee was employed under an award or agreement - the wages the employer would have been liable to pay the employee for the six months immediately after the dismissal paid at the rate the employee received immediately before the dismissal.
• The amount of compensation awarded must also take into account any amount paid to the employee on dismissal.

Welcome Councillors to this July 2001 sitting of the AFULE Divisional Council. At the time of penning this report, workers everywhere in this State are feeling the economic strain due to the collapse of several large industries.

Some of these fellow workers are Union members, some are not. We can not dictate what workers should do, but we can guide them to join a Union, for the security and benefits that the organisation provides for its members. Everyday either in the paper or on TV we see Union officials fighting for their members' rights.

The AFULE Queensland Union of Employers is such a Union, a GREAT UNION. Born, by a desire to have Train Crew representing Train Crew. Perhaps not great in numbers, but great in terms of progressive thinking and acting in the best interest of its members. This Union has earned respect on the industrial front that many larger unions envy.

None of this has come about by accident. Only the dedication of the officers of this Union and the support of its members has placed the AFULE in the respected position it holds today.

However, there are signs out there that we may be becoming a little complacent. Perhaps times are too good. Perhaps members do not see any fights left of any significance. But make no mistake, there are more challenges and fights to be won.

The AFULE has come a long way since its foundation Federally when we were the Federated Locomotive Enginemen, Fireman and Cleaners association of Australasia and later came the formation of the Queensland Branch in August 1921. It is fortunate for this Union and its members today, that previous office bearers, Divisional Councillors and members never took a backward step or a defeatist attitude.

From the day the AFULE was formed their was a continual effort to better the conditions of Train Crew. No gains were easily come by.

There has never been a shortage of members to put their hands up to fill positions at a Branch or State level. That is the main reason the AFULE is treated with respect by QR and others in the Industrial Arena. There was never any hesitation to take what was seen as appropriate industrial action at Branch and State level if it was considered the occasion warranted it.

Stoppages of work were common, and issues were met with "DOWN TOOLS" at little or no notice. But nobody would want to return to those days. The system has changed. Members want better roster systems and planned quality time off.

We were fortunate in having excellent people to represent us in all circumstances. More recently Pat Rooney, Keith Fordyce, Keith Dickson, Frank Doyle, Barry Powell and Larry Matters.

The fact is Train Crew had to look after themselves, and still have to. Elected officers can only maintain the objects of this Union with the visible and close support of members.

In recent years the AFULE Queensland Union of Employees has faced some significant industrial challenges. Enterprise Bargaining, the Aggregate Wage, and the now discredited amalgamation process.

I have no doubts that had members not stood firm in the amalgamation ballot and the AFULE Queensland Union of Employees had been swallowed up in the amalgamated process, we would never have achieved anywhere near as good an outcome in the Aggregate Wage negotiations as we did.

It is a credit to our members the way they supported the anti-amalgamation campaign and this Union. Perhaps we need a few fights of the same magnitude to put a bit of spirit back into the members.

This scenario may be just over the horizon.

Members need to look at the long-term. We need to be more than just another Union. We need to say more than just "we are a member of". We need to have our say and be an active part of a great and respected Union. All must have input, and all input is value.

You often see writings begging people to participate, or attend meetings. I am not the begging kind, I am just stating the facts as I see them. What I am telling members is if they do not get to meetings and support their local officials and Divisional Councillors, this Union could well be on the slow slide to being just "another Union".

Don't rave on in the Quarters, on the job, or in the lunch room. ATTEND LOCAL MEETINGS and put it on the books. This is the only way you can give your ideas recognition. This is the only way your Union can act on your behalf.

Welcome every one to the July council of the A.F.U.L.E., well my report this time will be very brief, this isn't because of lack of issues but the fact that we are still in the dark as to who can address these problems. QR's restructure has still not been finalised at the time of writing this report. This has created a lot of problems with morale, as no one knows who is in charge. This was shown only last week, as I had to make several calls to get an answer over a trivial issue. Everyone I spoke to said my hands are tied I can't authorise that any more. I hope this isn't the way the new structure within QR will work. Why have people in roles if they are only there as puppets. We have had nearly eight months of confusion, we must get back on track before we totally lose the plot. Having said this, we must ensure when the new Managers are selected that we have meetings AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. We must ensure that we advise QR of the way this Union works and the importance of having a good working relationship with all our Councillors. There were lots of mutual agreements between the past managers and this Union which proved beneficial to all concerned, I for one would like to continue with this method of communication. I, like everyone else have heard all the rumours and I hope that's what many of them are just rumours. I hope QR still believe in consultation not confrontation because the members are advising me that they have had enough of being a rudderless ship. If we get the wrong managers then I can see a return of the early nineties when we spend most of our time in conflict. I am willing to go either way as the general feeling is just say no to everything QR suggests.

On a more positive note the western tour undertaken by myself outlined 29 outstanding problems and hopefully the majority of these can be sorted out in the very near future, I for one would like to see more of these take place as the Western members are saying they felt good being able to voice their problems to QR management with their District Representative. Present mainly just as moral support but also to clarify the unions position of any issues that were ongoing or on the agenda for discussion. Many of the problems raised were the same ones that have been raised for the last three years but I believe we may have had the right people involved to finally solve these outstanding issues. If this isn't the case then QR will find themselves in dispute with this Union very quickly. The lack of staff has affected all depots as Cairns and Townsville have had to send staff west for relief.

Cairns is managing to handle the sugar ok but when this finishes they will be sitting around doing nothing again. We must work out a realistic way to staff all depots. Pring has very few problems that aren't able to be handled by the branch officials as usual. Townsville is in the same situation with whatever problems that can be being handled locally or everyone just waiting to see who they will have to meet with in the future.

In closing I hope we have news of the new structure at council and we must have lengthy discussions on the best way to ensure this Union stays the strongest Traincrew in Queensland.

Hello and welcome to another Divisional Council Meeting for the AFULE. I would like to introduce myself to Council and members. My name is John Callan I am a Driver from Mackay. I am the Acting Secretary for the Mackay Depot and as the Proxy for the Number 2 division, I have been given the opportunity to represent it by Byron Davidson at this Council meeting.

Yes it is Tax time again and a half year gone already, soon it will be Christmas time again. With the Transfer of Below Rail Functions to NAG being trialed from Rockhampton to Brisbane and eventually North, we will have to be on our toes to see the outcome of this. The biggest issue this year would be Limitation of Hours with DOO and TDO.

Coppabella:
This depot seems to be quiet on the Western front. Except for the Industrial Relations decision given to QR which is a small win for us.

Dysart:
Has concerns over crewing levels in their depot which is 11 and they would like 16 - 18 making their depot levels much stronger.

Jilalan:
There was a major derailment on the range again (Black Mountain) causing concerns by members about safety of Train Crew on the range and the equipment. We would all like to see the outcome of this investigation from QR. At least no one was hurt.

Rockhampton:
Limitation of hours issue of DOO and TDO. We will have to see what will happen with this issue over time.

Mackay:
Crushing has started again and is getting busy. Radio communication from Rockhampton - Townsville is still giving problems as usual, though different controls are overriding one another.

Train Crew are signing on and off at Townsville quarters instead of at Townsville shed. Also there are some Tilt Train concerns, of which depots will get workings and Mackay will finally get a permanent Driver in Charge.

Welcome all to the July 2001 Council sitting, I trust all is well in your respected areas. With the new QR Management restructure it appears very quiet on a State level, but to quote an old phrase this may well be the lull before the storm.

One problem that does seem to exist across the State is the varying degrees in which Traincrew provisions (stores) vary from depot to depot and how a local Manager on a whim can just discontinue a certain entitlement, thus making it difficult to regain that entitlement without some written proof of the granting of such item.

So as a Council we should comprise a document consisting of a list of provisions (stores) for Train Crew across the State and submit this list to QR for verification. In saying this I do believe some depots may loose, but more depots will gain from the said document. After all we are all Train Crew and should be entitled to the same provisions, thus creating uniformity across the State.

Should any member have ideas or written documentation verifying a certain item could you please send them to the AFULE State Office.

Too many depots are surviving on depleted stores or not getting the stores that they are entitled to, because of uncertainty of what's allowed or the ignorance of their depot Manager.

Another matter that has been brought to my attention is the absence of a procedure for checking and testing radios by Drivers, as this was to be done at the introduction of DOO.

Gladstone
Gladstone at present is busy with new coal contracts thus increasing train services, but with the same amount of train crew or in actual fact, less train crew with transfers, health failures and training ongoing numbers have been depleted.

New diagram guidelines have been tabled with the reintroduction of deferments, altered sign-on times, 8 hours 45 minutes and 10 hour QR shifts with viability to work to 11 hours for relief purposes only, but this has not meet favourably with the rank and file members and there are doubts whether these changes will eventuate.

The seat cover saga continues for Gladstone and the other depots in my division, currently we are into week 32 so stay posted. AFULE CD player was being trialed on a 4000 Class Locomotive and the last I saw of this was in the remote portion of a train, the radio on the CD didn't have an aerial and the CD player volume was too low.

It appears under the new Management restructure just released, Gladstone looses its DIC and is to be replaced with an Area Supervisor, only time will tell if this is a positive move for Train Crew.

Bluff
By all accounts Bluff's new diagram seems to be working well, with the exception of some pressure being put on Train Crew to work their long weekends, being applied by certain local Managers.

Bluff Train Crew would like to see the CD trial expanded to more Locomotives and they have also asked for carry bags to be provided for carrying gear when attending to their train.

The extra train services would be impacting on Bluff as well and Driver's jobs have been filled but are yet to be taken up. The depot was very appreciative of the visit by our State Secretary and State President and they are all looking forward to a return when the State Tour is conducted.

Emerald
Emerald is busy with plenty of work and problems concerning trackside maintenance, where long grass and trees are causing a concern. The position of Tutor Driver Emerald is a matter that needs to be addressed, with a shortage at present and the position being called as Tutor Driver relief and no applicants applying for the job, it should be recalled as Tutor Driver only. This is causing a problem with training, route knowledge and route assessment.

There is the ongoing problem with their rostering and the Area Manager again suggesting 12 hour TDO shifts, but this was politely rejected. Most of these problems are being resolved at a local level.

Alpha
Upgrade of the second camp wagon is still at a stalemate, with the Alpha Train Crew suggesting the changes that they want could be done in Emerald at a lower cost than sending it to Brisbane.

Trackside conditions are problem as well, but this seems to be a growing trend across the State. The provision of bottled water to the Alpha Train Crew has also been ceased.

Longreach
Another depot with plenty of work, with ballast and stock trains keeping Train Crew in Longreach busy enough. There is still the problem concerning the absence of a toilet between Longreach and Winton and after a conversation with the Area Manager, hopefully this will be rectified.

There is still no MSR radio in the Longreach car as was promised by their previous Manager, this is another matter that has dragged on far too long. Train Crew would also like to have a sun visor fitted to the car.

Welcome Councillors to the July 2001 Divisional Council. As you all know this is my first Divisional Council Meeting and I feel very honoured to be here. I would like to congratulate Mr Keryn Staib on his new position as State President.

The latest restructure of QR is taking place and as far as I can see, there appears to be more levels of Management to deal with. Only time will tell if QR has got it right.

The new North Coast Corridor workings commenced on the 7th May 2001. The layoffs have again been extended and rostered workings are being changed on a daily occurrence, due to the northern mainline upgrades and trains being altered after the new timetable was introduced. Hopefully this situation will change for the better in September 2001 when another timetable commences.

Fisherman Island Quarters
The major concern is the outside noise and this problem has to be addressed by QR as a matter of urgency.

Rockhampton Quarters
Keryn and Greg inspected these quarters and gave a list of the problems that have to be fixed to QR. This matter is being progressed through Mr Barry Millers.

Acacia Ridge Quarters
The new quarters are having minor repairs done and we will be inspecting them when these are finalised.

3900 Class Locomotives
These Locomotives still require modifications. The seats need dry cleaning or be replaced. Blinds and armrests are also needed on some Locomotives.

2800 Class Locomotives
The ATP is not working to a satisfactory standard and must be looked at.

2300 Class Locomotives
These Locomotives are very noisy, with 2314 at the extreme. They have to be noise monitored at the very least.

Radios
Radio reception on the North coast line has to be investigated as to what causes the bad reception in certain areas. I feel that a Radio Technician should travel on the Locomotive to try and fix the problem.

Maryborough
The provisioning shed has finally been built . For the record, it is no bigger than a large garden shed with a roller door on it. It is only to be used for storage of equipment for local shunt engines, Kingaroy and Gayndah Locomotives.

Bundaberg
They are in the same situation as all depots in the State regarding Driver numbers in their depot. They at least want their Health Failure Drivers who took VER's to be replaced. With Bundaberg now learning the south side via Acacia Ridge, they require set times for signing on and off. They have agreed to use the same times as Maryborough.

Gayndah
Everything is going along smoothly in Gayndah. They are working one train a week, but this should improve by one or two in the near future by way of ballast trains starting.

Train Crew Agreement
The Train Crew Agreement will be five years old this October and I believe it is time to review and renegotiate the current Agreement. I realise this was attempted in 2000 and failed, however, since the failure of those discussions two depots throughout the State have gone alone and negotiated an increase in their Aggregate Allowance. If this forum sees fit not to renegotiate a new Agreement, I have been asked by Citytrain Train Crew to initiate discussions through the State Office on an increased Aggregate Allowance for Citytrain Train Crew.

Security
Security for both Drivers, Guards and passengers on night trains remains an important issue. Suggestions for stopping the violence range from not stopping at platforms where gangs of youths are congregating, to not running trains after a certain time. These suggestions reflect cutting back on our jobs and giving over areas of the network to hooligans and do not solve the problem of the violence.

It is interesting to read in papers that Doctors and Nurses suffer violence in their occupations as well. Most of the problem in the rail network comes from gangs of youths under seventeen years of age as they are protected by law and they are very well aware of their rights, but not their responsibilities.

This points to the problem not being unique to QR, but a community and social problem and one which our politicians have to deal with. This Union should start writing to the politicians and encourage them to bring in laws to bring a stop to this problem.

Ipswich
Ipswich depot has asked that I raise the matter of 25 year passes. In the current environment, the Ipswich depot believes that the length of time should be reduced to 20 years, as there are not too many people who continue in the same employment for 20 years or more these days.

Heaters
We lodged a seven day notice over the heater issue and as a result, demisters will once again be wired and returned to full strength. All this work should have been done but once again QR is lagging behind in its commitment to Train Crew. The heaters will arrive at a later date and be fitted then. Mr David Mills from Ipswich has prepared a report of the effectiveness of the demisters. A very good report it is too, well done David.

Dismissal
One of our Drivers has been dismissed for breaches of safe working. We were all surprised at the dismissal, as we expected QR to find work for him in another field, however this was not the case and therefore Mr Greg Smith will be assisting the Driver to appeal the decision.

Stabling Yards
We are endeavouring to get all stabling areas up to the same standard, as this Union believe some of the yards were below an acceptable standard to work and prepare Units in. This is an ongoing issue and for any problems that still exist please contact myself or Mayne Branch Chairperson Mr Ian Casey.

Boots
We have received a knock-back from QR on the issue of boots for Citytrain, so we will try for shoes this time around. We have to keep trying because you never back down and you never give up.

Welcome to all Councillors and welcome to John Callan and George Best to their first Divisional Council Meeting.

Derailment Committee
On the 15th May 2001, I attended a Derailment Committee Meeting. At the meeting it was discussed to update the Data Loggers. QR wants to update these Loggers so they can gain more information on Drivers' handling of trains when a derailment occurs. We must be careful that QR does not use this against Drivers, as the Loggers can be pulled after a Locomotive completes a run and then checked to deliberate if trains are being operated properly.

There was some discussion on a device to be used to record when a train derailed. To have a device such as this would cost too much money at this stage.

SPAD's
There is a need to improve the way SPAD's are being investigated. The investigations are taking far too long and Train Crew are being excluded for up to 14 days. It doesn't take that long to read tapes and collect reports, the whole process should be reviewed to arrange a better system of doing the SPAD process.

Drivers should not be penalised financially, a reduction in grade in penalty enough. Retraining Drivers in safe working and signals would be better than being reduced.

Labour Day 2002
Another fine day was had by all at the Labour Day 2001 celebrations. I would like to thank all the helpers and organisers for a job well done. The roll-up this year was down on previous years, which was due to QR rostering on more local crews than last year, so more Train Crew had to work.

It's a shame that this day is going to die out. I put out a notice asking for help to raise money and organise events for next year, I only received two replies. If more people don't get together to help raise money, there will be no Labour Day festivity. It is only for one day of the year, but it takes eight months to raise money and organise. If anyone from the Freight or Citytrain depots are interested in being on the Labour Day Committee please contact the AFULE State Office.

Acacia Ridge
This depot is having difficulty in getting the new Tutor Drivers to the diagram implemented. Finally getting tuition on the Holmview route. There hasn't been too many problems with the fuelling and provisioning points lately.

Fisherman Islands
The Tutor Drivers diagram that was introduced is working satisfactorily so far, although problems contacting the Roster Clerk has occurred as the phone is always busy or it rings out. Maybe they need more Roster Clerks.

Ipswich
The only complaint this depot has is keeping a foreign Tutor Driver from working their trains. There is also good competition for the Tutor Drivers' position in this depot.

Recently the local media published stories regarding railways and QR. The Australian Transport and Energy corridor have announced that a rail bridge will be built near Goondiwindi as part of the Australian Inland Rail Expressway. If this bridge is built and the idea becomes a reality for this rail line, it has the possibility of wiping out the depots in the Number 7 district.

QR are to spend $37 million this year on projects on the Darling Downs and South-West Queensland. Part of this will be the upgrading of lines by using line from the North Coast upgrade. Train Crew throughout the district have been suffering, due to the poor track condition and it is hoped that this is the start of acquiring a reasonable standard of track so rail can compete effectively with road transport.

QR have announced an increase in the rates for transport and livestock. This has the potential to reduce services and place pressure on depots for survival if producers turn away from rail and use road transport instead. It has been reported that the Government heavily subsidise Citytrain, they could also do the same for livestock services.

Whilst speaking to each Depot prior to Council, a couple of items were raised which I will address before continuing with my divisional report. Firstly, the H Class Locomotive is a common sight in the depots throughout the region. There are concerns regarding the lack of room whilst tuition of any kind is being conducted. Also the second Driver has to sit in a restricted position.

Branches have expressed concern that the Cab Committee requested Locomotives be sent from the North to other depots because they have problems. If they had a problem there, they will also be a problem here. It would be better for everyone to solve the problem or utilise these Locomotives for what they were originally designed for.

No VER or separation policy is of a concern to the branches. Whilst they recognise the importance of maintaining jobs, they believe that part of representing our members is having in place a policy that will assist members if they require such help. They wish to know what input we had into the joint rail unions decision not to support this policy. If the no forced redundancy / relocation policy were to be removed, it would leave some Train Crew in extremely difficult positions.

All depots mentioned the Aggregate Wage due to large increases in weekend work now being performed. Rightly or wrongly, when the Train Crew Agreement was presented to the depots, a QR representative stated that there would be increases in the Aggregate Wage if there were increases in weekend work. This has not happened and should be addressed.

I believe that it should be noted that when the wage categories were negotiated, this division had been through several years of drought. One official even suggested to me that all Drivers throughout the State should have the same Aggregate Wage. Whilst some might think this radical, I believe it may have some merit, but could not be implemented. He also suggested depots that work the same corridors be on the same category.

Charleville
Charleville depot have been busy with stock and work trains. The lines to Cunnamulla and Quilpie are to be re-sleepered and possible rerailing on the latter. This has had the effect of Train Crew being able to obtain their cycle hours. A recent level crossing accident resulted in injury to two Train Crew. My report is that they are recovering and we all hope that they will both fully recover. This accident highlighted the need for the 1720 upgrade to have strengthened cabs and only one driving console. This depot works predominately on these Locomotives and if tuition was being given on the train involved in the accident, they believe that with three people in the cab, they might not have been as fortunate.

They have been able to resolve most problems locally.

Roma
Roma has also been busy with stock and work trains. They work trains mainly between Roma and Charleville. They would like to see another Driver / Trainee Driver placed in Roma, especially with the increase in normal and weekend work. DTC has been introduced from Roma to the west, with not too many problems being encountered.

This branch has also been able to resolve all problems locally.

Goondiwindi
They explained to me that it is either feast or famine in their depot. There is still some grain at the depots, but prospects for next season are not promising. With the majority of this depot being depot relief, they are yet to be utilised for these duties.

I have spoken to the Chief Roster Clerk regarding crewing options when working Noondoo trains.

The Tutor Drivers in the depot mentioned the rate of pay they receive, but want to see what is happening with proposed job changes.

Toowoomba
The majority of Branch Officials have indicated that they will not be seeking re-election, so it is hoped that members will step up to take on the positions.

Recently a combined meeting was held in Toowoomba regarding the loss of shed shifts and local work. Acting State Secretary Mr Renny Eyears attended. An additional meeting is to be held this Friday.

I have corresponded with the Service Delivery Manager South West and Regional Manager Freight Service Delivery regarding several issues that this branch has been unable to resolve, but we are waiting for a suitable time to be arranged to discuss the issues.

Recently the depot has had Trainee Drivers from another depot performing observation trips in the depot. This ended up causing some concern when they were rostered as DA's when existing DA's and Drivers were rostered AFD. It has also come to our attention that there is no route competence training guide or assessment for a DA. I have corresponded with QR regarding this issue and made several suggestions.

The Toowoomba depot have enacted correspondence regarding the state of the 2400 and 2100 Class Locomotives that they are now working. No reply has been received yet, however a meeting later in the week may bring a response. They are extremely disappointed in the soundproofing at the Fisherman Islands quarters and believe that this will need to be addressed.

General
The branches have applauded the stand made by the AFULE on the Draft Transfer Policy. All mentioned a fence being placed around Mayne by another union, it makes one wonder who these unions are representing, or if they are representing their Drivers outside of the Metropolitan area.

At last Council the issue of driving cars within the local agreed area was discussed. Since then I believe that several depots may have changed their local agreed areas to widen their travel. This may be of a detriment to other depots, if depots are to change the Train Crew Agreement and self drive up to their limitation of hours. Don't these depots realise that this might happen in the next Train Crew Agreement, then they will be complaining. Depots only make these changes for self gain, which leads me to my last issu.

Regarding the upcoming Union elections, we need people who have a commitment to the Union and it's principles to nominate for the positions, not just for their own personal or depot gain, which can be detrimental to other depots or Train Crew throughout the State.

Aussies spot train defect

Help in avoiding a derailment came from halfway around the world.

David Overson, A.F.U.L.E. Driver with Queensland Rail in Australia, and his friend Joe Forgiarini were taking pictures of a train west of Winslow in April, when they saw dragging brake rigging.

They found the Winslow Yard Office to report their findings to the trainmaster on duty. Winslow Terminal Manager Wayford Bryant thanked them for finding the defect and preventing a possible derailment, presenting both with BNSF shirts and pens.

Overson has worked for Queensland Rail, a state-owned railroad, since 1978. He started as a switchman before moving to conductor and then Locomotive Driver in 1995.

"Overson couldn't believe the traffic volumes and tonnage our trains carried, compared to 10 to 11 in a 24 hour period with most being 2000 tons in Australia," Bryant said.

A typical Australian Freight run totals 120 miles each way, which takes between 8-10 hours per trip, Overson said.

On the Queensland Rail, as on BNSF, safety is No. 1 Overson said.

STUDY UPDATE - May 2001

Newsletter number 5, (distributed in November 2000) indicated that a recommendation to Government on the preferred alignment between Gowrie and Grandchester would be made in April 2001. Some delays have occurred in progressing various aspects of the study. These delays are due to further investigations being warranted as a result of Environmental and Technical issues. A recommendation to Government is now expected to be made around October 2001.

At this point, the Cultural Heritage study is nearing completion. Archaeologist Dr Luke Godwin, accompanied by representatives from five Aboriginal groups, has completed a walk through of the rail corridor options to assess the likely impact of the proposal on Aboriginal cultural heritage. His report is being finalised.

Similarly, the Strategic Environmental Study is nearing completion with preliminary results being reviewed by Queensland's Environmental Protection Agency and the federal government's agency, Environment Australia.

Consultation with the public and key stakeholders has been ongoing over the course of the study. Some further consultation with Local Governments is currently taking place before the consultation report is finalised.

A Summary Report is being prepared which will include the essential details of all relevant reports and will contain a recommendation to Government. This report is currently expected to be completed about August and presented to the study's Management committee, before being presented to the Queensland Government about October 2001.

It is expected that when the reports are released by Government the Summary Report will be made available for public comment before decisions are made. A future newsletter, newspaper advertising and displays will advise stakeholders of their opportunity to provide further feedback on all aspects of the study.

Finally, there have been a number of reports in the media recently which propose the co-location of road, rail and water pipelines. Co-location for a road-rail corridor was initially considered in 1994, as part of Toowoomba's second road range crossing study. Traffic analysis identified that the further the distance to travel, the less likely motorists are to use a new crossing rather than the existing highway. This means that the road could not be justified if it co-located with rail corridor Option A1 (shown in Newsletter 1). Secondly, rail and road technical requirements are different. For example, roads are designed with 600 metre radius curves whereas high speed rail requires curves up to a 3400m radius. Road transports can cope with 6% grades whereas rail is seeking a maximum of 1˝% grades. The topography of the eastern side of the range dictates that both rail options exit the range below Mt Kynoch at a level substantially lower than the road. This, combined with the difference in design criteria, makes it impossible to co-locate both forms of transport in the same corridor. The cost of extremely large diameter combined road-rail tunnels would be prohibitive and not meet the traffic needs of road users.

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INVESTING
There is no such thing as a 'risk free' investment. Whether it's shares, property or bonds, there will always be a level of uncertainty about how each investment will perform.

As a general rule, the greater the risk you're prepared to take, the greater the potential return on your investment.

Let's say, for example, you've got $2,000 to invest.

If you're uncomfortable with the possibility that your investment won't perform as expected, you may be better to look at lower risk investments such as a term deposit. This investment locks your money in for a fixed period of time and safeguards the return you'll get on your money. The risk is minimal but, as a result, the return on your investment is also generally low.

Alternatively, if you're comfortable with higher risk, you may, for example, invest in the share market where the potential for a higher return on your money is greater over the longer term.

Everyone's tolerance to risk is different. When selecting your investment, you need to strike a balance between the level of risk you're comfortable with and the return you want on your money. A commonly used yardstick to help you determine the level of risk you're happy to accept is the 'sleep test'. If you toss and turn at night worrying about the security of your money, chances are you're not comfortable with the level of risk associated with your investment decisions. With the right advice, you can understand the factors that potentially affect the performance of your investment and be more comfortable with an element of risk in your investment decisions. In reality, this may mean increasing your opportunities for wealth creation.

Of course, risk won't be the only consideration when you make an investment decision. You'll also need to consider issues such as diversification, accessibility of your money, the tax you pay on your investment, and whether your money will grow at a rate faster than inflation. Investing can be a complex process, but Charter Financial Planning can help you navigate through the complexities and show you how investing can help your hard earned savings grow.

Please contact Ric Zanetti of Charter Financial Planning on 3227 3520 if you have any questions.

The Importance of Diversification
Spreading your money across different asset classes or markets is one of the best ways to reduce investment risk and improve your chance of achieving consistent returns.

Making wise investment decisions can be a difficult task. There are a number of steps involved: establishing your needs and objectives; including analysis of your risk profile; developing a financial planning strategy; and then selecting products to meet the strategy.

One of the best ways to reduce investment risk, while increasing your chance of a better return on your money over time, is to diversify your investments. Diversification means investing your money in a variety of different market sectors or asset classes.

Investment diversification works on the principle that different asset classes perform better at different times. Over the past 10 years, most asset classes (or sectors) have been a top performer in at least one year.

Interestingly though, rarely has one asset class been able to achieve this distinction over two consecutive years (international shares over the last three years are a notable exception; refer to Table 1, below).

Source: Morningstar

Prevailing economic conditions can impact each of the main investment classes - shares, property, fixed interest and cash - in different ways. At any one time, one investment type will perform better than others. However, knowing which investment type will outperform during a particular period is the difficult part.

Diversifying or spreading your investments across different asset classes can avoid the 'what if' questions. 'What if I'm in the wrong market?'; 'What if I'm investing in this market at the wrong time?'; 'What if I could get a better return by investing elsewhere?'. Neglecting to diversify your investments can mean exposing your savings unnecessarily to higher levels of investment risk. Investing across different fund managers is another way to diversify your investments and reduce the level of risk to which you're exposed. As various fund managers use different methods or 'styles' of investing, this will affect their investment decisions and the types of stocks they select. For example, a manager who uses one particular approach to investing may perform well at the beginning of an economic upswing, whilst another manager may perform better during an economic downturn. By investing with different fund managers in conjunction with diversified asset classes, you can further reduce levels of investment risk and increase your chance of producing more consistent returns over time.

Achieving truly diversified investments can be a difficult task for an individual investor. However, certain investment arrangements exist which can help ensure your investments are diversified regardless of how much you're investing.

It's possible to diversify your investments by placing your money in managed investments. A managed investment pools your savings with that of other investors to form an investment fund. As a small part of this large fund, you're harnessing the buying power of potentially millions of dollars. You can access a broader range of investment opportunities, such as international shares and commercial and residential property, which would be difficult to access on your own.

A managed investment also allows you to maintain a diversified portfolio without the administrative responsibilities normally associated with having a broad spread of investments.

Investment diversification means spreading your funds globally, across all investment categories and with different fund managers. Not only can diversification reduce the level of risk involved with your investments, but it can balance weak performance in one particular asset class with good performance in another.

If you're concerned about the diversification of your investments, you may need to seek professional assistance to alter your investment spread to suit your personal circumstances and needs. We can help you weigh-up your investment time frame, your approach to investment risk, and your financial needs, arriving at an investment decision that will help your money grow over time without compromising your financial security.

For more information, please contact:
Ric Zanetti
Charter Financial Planning Ph 07 3227 3520

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR INVESTMENT
Investing in the right products always involves comparing the sorts of funds available to you. But with such information and so many funds around, it can be difficult to figure out which ones could suit you.

QSuper Trustee Chris Barrett has some tips to help you weigh up your options. He says "it's important to make sure you are comparing 'apples with apples'. This means looking at things like where the fund invests, the financial period used to calculate the returns shown and even whether the return provided is before or after the deduction of management fees".

It's important to check out which types of investments the fund invests in. It may include shares, property, fixed interest or cash, in any combination. And these investments could be made in Australia, overseas or mix of both.

Comparing a fund investing solely in shares, like QSuper's High Growth option, with a fund investing in cash, is misleading. This is because these two types of investments have different levels of expected risk and return, and as such, should never be directly compared.

Chris says some financial advisers compare the returns of a number of funds using different periods. "For example, the return shown for one fund may be over the full financial year, whereas another return may be for a 12 month period starting from 1 May. This is also misleading, as the time period used in any comparison should be the same, whatever period that may be".

"In addition, looking at a longer time period, such as 5 years, will give a better comparison, as one year returns can show unusually large differences".

Another important factor in comparing fund returns is whether the return quoted is before or after fees have been deducted. This is particularly relevant where there is a significant difference in the level of fees charged by the funds. QSuper always quotes returns after the deduction of their low management fee (currently 0.35% p.a.) Other funds may charge up to 2% p.a. in fees, and on top of that, the returns they show could be before this fee has been deducted. This certainly makes a difference when comparing fund returns.

IUF Support for Global McDonald's Protests
From October 15 trade unions and NGOs around the globe have been organizing demonstrations and other actions to highlight abusive labour practices by the trans-national restaurant chain McDonald's. The protests will continue through the end of October. The latest round of actions targeting the hamburger giant stem from the disclosure by the Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee(HKCIC, a labour rights group which works closely with the IUF-affiliates in the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions) of massive labour rights violations at City Toys in Shenzhen. City Toys manufactures toys under contract for Simon Marketing, a marketing and sourcing company from which McDonald's procures many of the billions of toys which form an integral part of its global promotional strategy. At the Shenzhen plant, the HKCIC found 2,000 workers, most of them young women, working unlimited hours at a fixed daily wage of less than USD 3 per day. Unpaid overtime - frequently stretching into the early hours of the morning - was typical of working conditions for these workers without contracts or insurance. To compensate for the high employee turnover, the factory had rec recruited young workers under 16 years of age.

When the news was published in the Hong Kong Morning Post on August 27, McDonald's first denied the allegations by asserting that it had a corporate "Code of Conduct" and a regular system of independent monitoring of that code. City Toys responded by dismissing the under-age employees and attempting to prevent them from communicating with investigators. When a company audit confirmed the truth of the HKCIC / Morning Post report, McDonald's walked away from the problem by dropping the supplier - and the children.

McDonald's responded by stating that the company "fully supports our suppliers' decision to halt all production of toys for McDonald's at the City Toys facility in China" and intoning: "We take our Code of Conduct seriously, as our actions demonstrate.

Three conclusions may be drawn from this affair. Firstly, abusive labour practices at toy companies in South China should surprise no one. City Toys has a long history of employee abuse, including documented reports of savage beatings by security guards in Shenzhen published two years ago. A wider investigation by the HKCIC of ten McDonald's toy contractors in China confirmed that low wages, forced overtime, poor health and safety conditions of the factory floor, substandard living conditions, the employment of workers without contracts and a total lack of accounting transparency as regards the calculation of wages are the rule rather than the exception. It goes without saying that workers in China are prohibited from organizing unions, a well-known fact which seems to have eluded only those who write advertising copy for the code monitoring industry.

Secondly, the monitoring procedure - for which McDonald's pays the Swiss-based auditing firm SGS - at McDonald's is of a piece with the other monitoring schemes which have become an established component of corporate public relations exercises. In the absence of independent trade Union organization and explicit recognition of this right by employers, Codes of Conduct are meaningless. Of the ten factories in the HKCIC survey, 4 of them drilled workers and falsified documents to pass the monitoring exercise. SGS, a leader in the code monitoring sec tor, did not have to look very hard to see evidence of massive labour abuses, yet its auditors saw nothing. Pricewaterhouse Coopers, another leading "global contractor compliance" firm, has distinguished itself by overlooking workweeks of up to 79 hours documented on company time cards and workplace carcinogens at Asian garment factories it regularly audits.

Third, contracting out toy production through a complex system of intermediaries - like the franchise system McDonald's has used so successfully in its restaurant operations - has been systematically employed to deflect public criticism, deflect public criticism, defeat Union organizing efforts, and evade corporate responsibility at international level.

Employers should provide suitable protective clothing for outside workers. Loose long sleeved shirts or blouses, and, long trousers or slacks, should be worn to protect the arms and legs.

Broad-brimmed hats will shade the face and control exposure of the nose, ears and lips. 'French foreign legion' attachments are available to shade the neck when hard hats are necessary.

Suitable sunscreen to protect the skin still exposed should be provided free by employers under the scope of 'protective clothing'. This should be applied to dry clean skin, preferably about 30 minutes before exposure to the sun, and reapplied thickly each hour to maintain the level of protection. Sunglasses, which meet Australian Standard AS1067-1983, should also be worn to offer protection against damage to the eyes.

MOBILE PHONES AND EYE CANCER
Research published in the journal "Epidemiology" has linked uveal melanoma (eye cancer) with mobile phone use. It is suggested that the watery contents of the eye assists the absorption of radiation.

HEAT
Working in excessive heat, especially when not acclimatised to it can be a health hazard. Heat stress is more serious than just feeling hot. Most people feel comfortable when the air temperature is between 20degrees C and 27degrees C with the relative humidity range of 35% to 60%. When air temperature or humidity is higher, many people feel uncomfortable. These situations do not cause harm while the body can adjust to cope with the additional heat. Very hot environments, however, can overcome the body's coping mechanisms, leading to a variety of serious and possible fatal conditions.

It is recommended by ACTU that where the temperature at work exceeds 26degrees C measures should be taken to prevent the onset of heat stress. Where the temperature at work exceeds 30degrees C workers should be allowed to take regular, paid work breaks to allow their bodies to recover some degree of thermal equilibrium. Rest breaks should be introduced to suit local conditions and meet individual requirements.

Q FEVER (Query Fever)
Q Fever is caused by the bacteria-like organism Coxiella burnetii. This organism lives in a variety of domestic and wild animals, especially cattle, sheep, goats, bandicoots, kangaroos and wallabies and can be transported from animal to animal by ticks.

Q Fever is most common in Queensland, but exists throughout Australia.

Humans can be infected by ingesting unpasteurised milk and by contact with infected animals, hair and hides, waste products, or contaminated straw and wool.

Health effects occur sixteen to eighteen days later. Symptoms can range from muscle pains, severe headache and high fever, which may progress to pneumonia. Q Fever is often misdiagnosed as influenza or pneumonia. The fever usually disappears after five to fifteen days. Patients who have diseased heart valves prior to contracting Q Fever may develop severe inflammation and damage to these valves. The liver can also be commonly affected.

Vaccination against Q Fever is the best prevention. All people working in the at-risk groups should be aware of the means of transmission and the sources of infection. Strict hygiene practices must be followed when handling pregnant animals, hides, wool, straw, or other contaminated material. Prompt treatment of cuts and abrasions, adequate disinfection and disposal of material, and prevention of inhalation of contaminated dust or fluid droplets is necessary. Milk should be pasteurised or boiled. It is important that possible contact with infected animals is stated when seeking medical advice.

Extracted from Worksafe Australia Guide "Diseases Acquired from Animals", National Occupational Health And Safety Commission, Dec 1989, AGPS Press Canberra.

WORKER'S MEDICAL CENTRE
The Worker's Medical Centre is both a general medical and occupational medicine practice. The Centre has a range of services along with the general practice including:

• Hearing tests
• Skin cancer screening and treatment
• Vaccinations (Q Fever, Hepatitis A and B, Fluvax, Tetanus, etc)
• Acupuncture
• Insurance medicals
• Specialist referrals

The Centre is a bulk billing facility and there is no charge to the patient except for medicals for Commercial Vehicle Driver's Health. The Centre operates a 3 hour session each day, Monday to Friday. Next time you or another family member need to visit the doctor please give us a call on 32173566

INTERESTING QUOTES
"If the person falls in the correct spot, it's quite safe." (Workplace Health & Safety Inspector on performance of stunt airbags after one gave way killing the stuntman.) Quoted in 'The Courier Mail' January 24, 2001.

I refer to the recent resumed IRC conference on 4 May 2001 where QR provided the Commission and yourselves with information in regard to the incident investigation at Coppabella on 19 March 2001 and some additional information on TDO shift over 11 hours.

The Commission indicated that a further conference will be set down to discuss the list of shifts over 11 hours and the reasons why excessive time occurred on each shift. Discussion also took place in respect to what options are available to the parties to reduce the incidence of Traincrew exceeding the Limitation of Hours requirements of the Award and TCA.

Notwithstanding your unions response to those discussions, QR is very desirous of pursuing whatever option is necessary in order to reduce the incidences of shifts being worked in excess of 11 hours. The issue of DOO relief was raised at the conference as one way to reduce the incidence of shifts in excess of the Limitation of Hours requirements under the award. This was particularly so in the case of the Mt Isa line where QR indicated to the parties that by implementing DOO on the Cloncurry to Hughenden section, there would be measurable reduction in the incidences of excessive shift lengths above the limitation on hours provisions.

1) Introduction of DOO to be utilised on the Cloncurry to Hughenden section. Refer to clause 8.21(1) of the TCA for the commitment to introduce DOO state-wide subject to consultation at local and State level on various issues as listed, and clause 8.2(3) (Extension of DOO in Non Signalled Areas {Dark Territory}).

It should be noted that the list of areas in clause 8.2(3) where the extension of DOO into Dark Territory is considered, is not an exhaustive list, and it is QR's intention to extend DOO to the Cloncurry to Hughenden section.

To facilitate this, consultation for implementation will be carried out in accordance with the Traincrew Agreement as soon as it can be arranged.

2) Extension of TDO shift lengths to 12 hours, Cloncurry to Hughenden section. Sch.1.5(1)(c) of the EA4 Award, cl.3.2(1) of the TCA Roster Code of Practice (RCOP) all provide for TDO shift lengths. The TCA and RCOP provisions both refer back to the Award provision to determine the actual calculation of the shift length.

Sch.1.5(1)(c) provides for TDO shift lengths to be able to be worked to a length of 12 hours with such an introduction to involve agreement on a location by location basis following consultation. The provision also states that agreement to such a proposal should not be unreasonably withheld unless there are extraordinary circumstances prevailing.

To facilitate this, consultation for implementation will also be carried out in accordance with the Traincrew Agreement as soon as it can be arranged.

Given the above issues, it is QR's intention to arrange a meeting with the relevant unions to commence discussions on these matters with a view to implementation in the near future.

3900 CLASS LOCOMOTIVES
Reference is made to you're a recent letter dated 3 rd August re operation of 3900 class locomotive. There are currently 29 x 3900 class locomotives in use by QR. Three of these have been transferred to the Coal Division with another three to be transferred shortly.

Under the current strategy, 19 of the class will eventually be transferred to the Coal Division leaving 10 electric locomotives to operate between Brisbane and Rockhampton.

This process may not be fully completed until the second half of 2002. Issues to be resolved include expanded operation of 4000 class on the Mt Isa line, usability of 2600 class in North Queensland and fuel utilisation of 2800 class. This implies the movement of the 3900 class will be a gradual process.

I hope this satisfies your enquiry.
John Bartholomew
Regional Manager
Freight Service Delivery (10/08/01)

SKIN CREAMS LINKED TO PEANUT ALLERGIES
Skin creams containing peanut oil could cause infants and children to become allergic to peanuts, say British researchers.

A team in London doing a long-term study on the allergy found that 90 percent of children who were allergic to peanuts had also suffered from eczema.

When a child is allergic to peanuts, his immune system will react violently when it recognises the protein in peanuts.

But the immune system must have been exposed somehow to peanut protein earlier on, to prime the allergy.

Eczema often causes itchy, broken or raw skin which could expose immune cells in the skin to the peanut protein in the creams.

Allergic reactions to peanuts vary from the mild to the severe reactions which can cause death when the throat swells blocking the windpipe.

The findings, presented to the Royal Society in London on Monday, contradict previous advice that pregnant or breastfeeding should not eat peanuts, reported the BBC online.

However, as the findings on the links between the creams and the allergy have not been confirmed, it was advised that parents still follow these recommendations.

But it was also advised that parents check the contents of cream before they buy them, whether it was used for nappy rash or eczema. They were told to check for arachis oil (refined peanut oil), groundnut or peanut oil.

Skin therapists have said most of the recommended creams for eczema do not contain peanut oil. By Heather McKinnon

MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE
Meningococcal Disease is a severe infection that occurs when the meningococcal germ invades the body from the throat or nose. It may be spread in the fine droplets that are shed through coughing, sneezing and spluttering. Although the germ is spread in droplets from the nose or throat, it is fortunately not easy to catch the disease. Close and prolonged contact with a carrier is usually required for the germ to spread to others.

Some close contacts, usually family or household members, my be offered a course of prophylactic antibiotic, principally to eliminate the germ from the nose or throat, and prevent such contacts from becoming carriers. The antibiotic may also help to prevent disease, although cases may still occur even when the tablets are taken as directed. It is very important that the public health authorities are involved in the identification of contacts, because the antibiotic should be used very carefully.

Below are some details of the symptoms that the meningococcus may cause, meningococcal disease takes two main forms, or it may occur as a combination of the following:

1. Meningococcal Septicaemia occurs when the germ invades the bloodstream causing blood poisoning. It may be a very serious disease, and may cause death after even a very short illness. The patient usually is obviously unwell, has a fever and may have marked joint or muscle pains; there is often a rash just under the skin. The rash may start anywhere on the body an tiny red or purple spots that spread and enlarge to look like fresh bruises. The rash does not fade when pressure is applied to it. Any such rash must be taken seriously, and requires urgent medical attention.
2. Meningococcal meningitis occurs when the germ infects the outer lining of the brain and spinal cord. Typical symptoms include fever, a stiff neck, severe headache, dislike to bright lights, vomiting, joint and / or muscle pains, drowsiness and even coma. There may also be a rash with the same features as those described above.

If you develop any of the above listed symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately, and inform him / her that you may have been in contact with someone with meningococcal disease.

The above information has been received from Dr. K Adam, Specialist in Occupational Medicine.

OUR MATE JOHNNY
A man, on his way home from work, came to a dead halt in traffic and thought to himself, "Wow, this traffic seems worse than usual, nothings even moving".

He notices a police officer walking back and forth between the lines of cars, so he rolls down his window and asks, "officer what's the hold up?"

The officer replies, "John Howard is just so depressed about the thought of moving with his family back to Lane Cove that he stopped his motorcade in the middle of the freeway and he's threatening to douse himself in petrol and set himself on fire.

"He says his family hates him and he doesn't have the money to pay for the new house renovations. We're taking up a collection for him."

"Oh really? How much have you got so far?"

"About three hundred litres, but a lot of people are still siphoning."

Feel like holidaying on the Gold Coast? Sick of paying inflated price for Holiday Units? If the answer is YES, enjoy a stay at the Mayne Locomotive Drivers' Association. Units are situated at Tugun.

Tugun is ideally situated central to the glitz and night life of Surfers Paradise, Conrad Jupiters Casino and Tweed Heads. If a quiet holiday, relaxing with the family is more your style, there is no better place on the Gold Coast than Tugun to enjoy a laid back holiday.

Members throughout the State are welcome to make reservations to secure their next holiday on the Gold Coast. For reservations, please phone Russell Haddock on 0419 377 480 between 09:00 hours and 17:00 hours.

CA SCIACCA & ASSOCIATES HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND DEDICATION TO HELP YOU WITH ALL YOUR LEGAL NEEDS.

THERE ARE MANY AREAS OF THE LAW BESIDES THOSE MENTIONED HERE, WHERE WE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

Total number of Member calls resulting in enquiries: 65

EXPLANATORY NOTES

* Denotes Referral Services - members are referred direct to the service provider for referral services. Please note, it is not presently possible to quantify sales as a result of referrals.
Calls listed in these reports are those made to the Union Shopper Call Centre number only.
As most Travel, Accommodation and Personal Loan enquiries are not processed through our Call Centre but direct through specialist numbers we are not yet able to include these statistics in monthly reports.
We are working with the service providers towards having these statistics supplied on a quarterly basis.

* on presentation of Union Shopper ID Card
Prices subject to change without notice

How to get your discount tickets…..

Call in to Union Shopper office or sent payment (cheque or money order) to:

• Include your Union membership details (YOUR UNION MEMBERSHIP NUMBER IS YOUR SERVICE NUMBER) as well as the type of tickets you want.
• Enclose a stamped self address envelope for return of your tickets.
• Enquire about registered post to ensure the safe return of your tickets.

BRISBANE MEMBERS CALL:                      3859 9999

MEMBERS OUTSIDE BRISBANE CALL:  1300 360 033