RESPONSE TO EMAIL FROM RTBU BLUFF LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE  

22 January 2010

Dear Traincrew,

The AFULE State Office would like to clarify an email that was sent out by the RTBU Bluff Local Representative.

As many would be well aware, there have been disagreements with QR management with respect to the interpretation of various provisions in the QR Limited Traincrew Union Collective Workplace Agreement 2009 (the “Agreement”).

The AFULE State Office and the RTBU State Office have been working tirelessly together to resolve a number of interpretation disputes for the betterment of both AFULE and RTBU members. The AFULE State Office and RTBU State Office have also been working together on other issues such as the Queensland Not For Sale campaign, QR policy changes, QR disciplinary action and many other issues. The AFULE and RTBU have a good working relationship and this is for the betterment of our members.

With respect to the comments made by the RTBU Bluff local Representative, I want to assure all members that the AFULE State Office has consulted with the RTBU State Office on every dispute that has been progressed – inclusive of the recent dispute on the payment of nominated leisure periods. The AFULE State Office has not received any contact from the RTBU with respect to disagreeing with our position in relation to this matter.

Secondly, the AFULE State Office only lodged a Step 3 dispute after exhausting the process of talking with both local managers and senior management. The step 3 notice of dispute was sent to HR Manager Nevis Black and National Manager Organisational Capability Tom Wiltshire. The AFULE State Office received formal feedback from QR late yesterday afternoon advising that their position is that employees will only be paid for time worked and that Clause 66.4.3 regarding set shifts does not apply on a nominated leisure period. Further, they advised of their intention to implement this interpretation after three working days. The AFULE State Office will be lodging an application into Fair Work Australia.

I would like to stress to all members that the only reason the AFULE is at this stage is because we have exhausted the internal process.

With respect to the meeting arranged with National Manager Organisational Capability Tom Wiltshire, the AFULE State Office was and still is committed to meeting with QR Senior Management to resolve the outstanding interpretation issues.

After a discussion with all the parties (the AFULE, RTBU and QR), it was agreed to postpone the meeting until the unions could provide QR with a comprehensive list of the issues. This is because Mr Wiltshire was not involved throughout all the negotiations and would have to take our issues away and discuss them with QR negotiators before he could come back to us with a response. Rather than waste everyone’s time, it was decided that the AFULE and RTBU would work together to develop a list of the outstanding issues, what our concerns are (i.e. what is QR doing to make us aggrieved), and what our proposal is to resolve the matter. AFULE Industrial Officer Tammy Aitken will be working closely with RTBU Organiser Les Moffitt to prepare this document. Once the document is provided to QR, the unions will be requesting a meeting be arranged with the view of resolving the issues.

It is imperative that all unions work together for the betterment of our members. That is why the AFULE State Office has ensured the RTBU State Office is informed of every dispute. Les Moffitt agreed in a phone conversation this morning that the AFULE State Office has indeed been working with the RTBU and ensuring they are notified of any disputes pending.

If you have any queries in relation to this matter, please don’t hesitate to contact the State Office on (07) 3257 1151 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Yours fraternally

GREG SMITH

STATE SECRETARY