AFULE in South Brisbane, Queensland | Trade union

AFULE

Locality: South Brisbane, Queensland

Phone: +61 7 3844 9163

Address: 41 Peel St. 4006 South Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.afule.org.au/

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24.01.2022 Happy Friday everyone - Mel here - I love this story about the Railway Waitresses in Sydney joining the 1917 General Strike and how the Station Master describes them downing tools below. One of the other strikers at the time was a train driver called Ben Chifley who would go on to be the prime minister of Australia. You can read about the waitresses here: http://www.unionsong.com/ebooks/waitressstrike.pdf... "For the past few days the girls had been rather out of hand. They were inclined to laugh and jeer at those over them, and discipline was being seriously affected. Acting under instructions, I called them all together this morning. I explained to them that they were there in the public interest, to serve anyone who should come along. I then asked those who were willing to abide by that course to stand to one side, and those that were prepared to leave to do so. Thereupon they all put on their hats and coats and marched off, amidst laughter and cheers."

24.01.2022 Good morning everyone - Mel here with a QR update - the unions have just met with QR management who advised that the business is going to be issuing Traincrew with 2 cloth reusable masks over the coming days. Wearing the masks is not mandated right now but the business is asking us to wear them when we can't socially distance - in line with the advice from Queensland's Chief Health Officer, Dr Young. There are also plenty of disposable masks available for you to use right no...w, or if you forget your cloth mask in the future. The masks will come with instructions about how to wear them and care for them as well. There will be a communication coming from the business some time today and an FAQ is also in the pipeline. This is a way for you to keep yourselves safe and keep the members of the public you come in to contact with safe too, Queensland's CMO who has done a pretty good job of containing the spread of Covid 19 thinks they are a measure we need to introduce for now and the AFULE supports QR's decision. Our Comrades at the ETU raised a good point in the meeting about the business maintaining its controls around social distancing as the best way to keep ourselves safe. We should not be relaxing our social distancing measures because there are masks available, masks are an additional safety measure. I will give you a further update once we have access to the FAQ document. Here is a link to the Federal Government's info about masks. https://www.health.gov.au//how-to-protect-yourself-a/masks In solidarity Mel.

24.01.2022 A giant of the union movement and a great friend of the AFULE. The AFULE sends our love and support today to Simmo's family and friends and to our brothers and sisters at the ETU. His struggle is over but ours continues and we will not see his like again. ... RIP Simmo.

22.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here with an update for you all. I'm sorry we've been quiet on the FB but this is because we have been so busy fighting for your rights and entitlements. First, as you will know, we have lost a great comrade today in Peter Simpson, former State Secretary of our sister union the ETU. The pictured mural of Simmo has gone up in our office courtyard today. A friend to the worker, a great campaigner and a visionary. What a loss to our movement. In other ...Continue reading

22.01.2022 Aurizon Bulk members, this afternoon I had a meeting with Aurizon management regarding the progress of the Hughenden, Rockhampton and Maryborough trial master rosters. The data shows we are off to a great start! We meet again in 2 weeks. If we continue on this path, we will be sitting in mid October to develop new master rosters for all bulk depots that have the work life balance you deserve. In solidarity, Mick

22.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here - this is really an update to let you know when I get 5 minutes I'll make sure I give you all an update. It's been pretty busy in the AFULE office, I've also had a bit of leave in the last week or so, so there's a very large pile of things to do on my desk. I'm slowly catching up and when I have you'll all know about it! In the mean time this is not necessarily important union business, but I'm pretty sure you all need to read this.... ... In solidarity Mel. https://www.theguardian.com//ee-moo-nprs-absurd-pronunciat

22.01.2022 Dear members, The AFULE and Queensland Rail formally reached an in-principle agreement for your 2020 Traincrew Enterprise Agreement. Key outcomes of the Agreed in Principle document to be presented to Traincrew for voting include; ...Continue reading

21.01.2022 Hi everyone - 1. Check out this cutie. Our newest supporter. She is our lovely Amy McKechnie's new sweet heart and we hope she knows how lucky she is to have such a strong mum. Congrats to Amy and Sean. Sadly these onesies are not for sale so please don't ask us. 2. Mick and I have been hard at work this week trying to deal with QR disputes. OMG they are so terrible these days. No longer the operator we point to for best practice in discipline or dispute resolution. We'v...e had one dispute on foot for 3 weeks now and they've just written to us to say maybe they'll be back to us at the end of next week. UGH! And they had the hide to pretend in a conciliation conference the other week that it is the AFULE who are deliberately causing delays!!! 3. We have our PN arbitration coming up in the next fortnight, looking forward to that one being done and dusted. 4. Aurizon Bulk Roster dispute is also moving along nicely and rosters are about to be or have been implemented that will comply with the agreement. Seems like everything has settled down in Bulk with these changes and we are really proud of the way you've worked with management to produce a win win for the business and our work life balance. I hope this marks a shift away from guns at 10 paces to a cooperative and trusting relationship with Bulk leadership. 5. In Aurizon SEQ Coal (of course!) we have an unfair dismissal on foot and we are in the process of responding to a show cause notice issued to one of our members for driving above the speed limit for 16 seconds!!! Yes you read that right. The attitude of SEQ management remains astounding. The changes to SEQ rosters under the agreement are about to occur, they haven't exactly done anything in the last 12 months that is going to make traincrew want to go over and above their minimum obligations to help that transition go smoothly. Our Divisional Council meeting is coming up in a couple of weeks and I'm sure we will have lots of news coming out of that catch up for you. Stay safe and look after each other. In Solidarity Mel

20.01.2022 Hi everyone - it's Mel with a DISPUTE UPDATE. We have commenced a dispute in AZJ SEQ Coal Fish I and Toowoomba depots. The company have not given 28 days notice of a shut down and have notified they intend to withhold your pay for the period of 5-10 September. This is a breach of clause 58 of your agreement. AFFECTED MEMBERS - DO NOT APPLY FOR LEAVE OR TO SWAP RDOS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ... Some of you may have received letters directing you to take leave between 5-10 September. As long as you received the direction in writing with 28 days or more notice then the direction is valid under cl. 57 of your agreement. Make sure all your comrades are aware of this. I will let you know the company response when we receive it. In Solidarity Mel

17.01.2022 Queensland Rail members, Today we received the results of your Enterprise Agreement vote for the proposed 2020 TCA. Below is a summary of the ballot outcome:... 1,588 Traincrew members were eligible to vote 871 Traincrew members registered a vote. 846 voted YES to approve the proposed Agreement - 97.13% of voters. 25 voted NO to reject the proposed Agreement 2.87% of voters. The ballot has produced a massive 97.13% approval from returned votes. We now move onto the next stage of ratifying your new Enterprise Agreement. From here, Queensland Rail and the unions will make applications to the Fair Work Commission to formally approve your EA. The approval process may take between 3 and 8 weeks depending on the Commissions work load. I wish to thank once again the AFULE bargaining team consisting of Glen McGaw, Anthony Woodward, Anthony Chalker, Paul Carmody and Brad St. Ledger for negotiating in good faith and delivering an outcome with condition and wage improvements for Traincrew. I also want to thank all AFULE members that sent through claims/ ideas pre bargaining, participated in log of claims meetings and for their support to the bargaining team during negotiations. Mick

17.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here - I notice a big jump in followers and likes today so welcome! In QR news Mick advises we are getting close to the negotiation finish line and you should be pretty happy with the gains your QR negotiating team have picked up for you. We also want to give a big shout out today to one of your terrific reps in Mackay - AMY - who is about to take some long leave. Being a union rep is a tough gig and so is being a woman in a male dominated workplace and Am...y does a fantastic job leading the way for women and showing the bosses what's what. I hope all our Mackay members will give her a pat on the back before she goes and give her our thanks and tell her she'll be missed. We are union proud of you, Amy, and we hope you have rewarding leave but we look forward to having you back! "There once was a union maid, she never was afraid Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid. She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called, And when the Legion boys come 'round She always stood her ground. Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union. Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die..." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs5_gB582IM Add to your post

13.01.2022 Happy Saturday everyone - pretty wet at my house today so no gardening, instead we are about to cook a feast for dinner, and when a cooking festival happens in my house we listen to podcasts while we cook. On the list are some talks from the Melbourne Writers Festival - which is online this year if you are interested - and this one from BBC's Witness podcast about the Tolpuddle Martyrs, who were transported to Australia for forming a union. This sounds sad, and probably was, but these farmers from the UK and their struggle to unionise founded our right to freedom of association, so it's also something to celebrate. I thought you might like to give it a listen - it's only 9 minutes long. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02ypfl9

13.01.2022 Another very sad loss for everyone who believes in fairness and equality over the weekend. I don't think it's a big stretch to say that without Susan Ryan the society we live in would look pretty different today. https://theconversation.com/vale-susan-ryan-pioneer-labor-f

12.01.2022 Hi everyone - West Moreton people here is the correspondence we received from the business - the bit about the notice being an acceptable notice wasn't the AFULE's position also they use the word apply here but they can't say np+o to the leave type/arrangement you choose - let me know if they do - "The depot notice sent on the 11 August would constitute notice of a shutdown under clause 58 of the EA (noting that in future the notices require more detail) Aurizon will roster... employees for the 5, 6 and 7 September as we cannot require employees to take leave or move RDOs. For the 8, 9 and 10 September employees will be required to do one of the following: Applying for annual leave Apply for long service Request to move their RDOs Apply for leave without pay These leave requests will be required by 12pm on Friday 4 September. Aurizon will withdraw directions to take annual leave that was given to any employee from Fisherman Island or Toowoomba Depots. Any crew who still wish to take leave for the entire period will be allowed to do so." Note - you need to tell the company by 4 September what arrangements you are making for 8, 9, 10 September. FYI - the banner here belonged to the Sydney Branch of the Waterside Workers Union'. It was unfurled for labor day from 1901 - 1950 - am assuming the fallen comrades from 1901 were Australian unionists who fought in the Boer war. It is in the Australian National Museum's collection. In solidarity Mel.

10.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here with your update - Finally! 1. AZJ Bulk BC&D drivers- Mick has spoken with Bulk management today and they are going to reinstate your allowances and provide you with back pay! Hurrah! Additionally the comapany are going to sit down with you and your union reps and negotiate an IFA that doesn't have so many issues with it. This is a great outcome for you and our union members should all be congratulated for standing up and pulling together and r...Continue reading

10.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here - I've had a couple of quiet weeks but back on deck now and here with an update for you. While I was away I was very sad to hear of the death of our former Divisional Councillor and QR driver, Ian Casey. Ian worked hard for our collective and was dedicated to bringing about better conditions for traincrew and understood the importance of our members and all workers being respected in the workplace. I will miss him. My thoughts are with his very lo...ved wife, Marie, and his children. QR members - Mick is - as we speak - signing off on your new EA. We've done all our paperwork and sent it through to QR so they can file it with theirs into the Commission ASAP. In addition we received a recommendation from the Commission today about a status quo dispute we raised, which we will be lodging a complaint to the FWC about and I will be giving Mick advice about the merit and prospects of success of having it judicially reviewed. It has addressed a dispute that is not before it and it has quite openly stated that the AFULE are using the dispute process as a delay tactic, which is something we have never done and will never do, AFULE DC has always been dedicated to running matters of merit only, we are co-operative and work hard to resolve all our issues without reverting to the Commission and and all operators we deal with know that and respect us for it. We had a legitimate dispute. The Commission did not actually consider the relevant dispute, and a recommendation has been made about matters we did not put before it or have the opportunity to discuss. We won't be dropping our dispute because the recommendation is made in error. AZJ members - we don't have a lot of faith in the Office of the National Rail safety Regulator in Queensland at the moment, they have recently tried to advise us that drivers on maintenance trains are maintenance workers and not traincrew so shift length limitations don't apply... Mick has written to the actual Regulator, Sue McCarrey and the Qld office have responded saying that they realise they didn't consider the things he raised .... (like fatigue impacts and the fact maintenance drivers will be working through the very complex city network !!!) and they will commence a reconsideration of their position... There was a TCAS fiasco last week when AZJ decided they'd turn it off! After pretty universal driver outrage, and Mick's intervention, it is now back to normal as at 1000 tomorrow. Great team work re the TCAS issue - when you all stand up you get results faster and well beyond what your state office can achieve on its own. I hope you are all enjoying the rain and that the tracks aren't too slippery and you're all taking care of yourselves. In solidarity Mel

09.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here - updates for PN, QR and AZJ below. PN Intermodal people - we are in the middle of working out the question for your lift up and lay back dispute - our lawyers are talking to PN's lawyers and we will keep you in the loop. QR members - Mick , Glen and your negotiating team will be meeting with QR tomoz and hopefully the deal for your next agreement will be finalised. ... AZJ Bulk members - the roster trial starts today in Rocky, Maryborough and Hughenden. If roster staff want to mess this trial up by stuffing around the rosters in other depots they can, so we need all our bulk members to be vigilant and let us know if there is anything dodgy going on. Email statesec if you have a concern. AZJ coal , things seem to be travelling pretty well in terms of your agreement - at least no-one is telling me they aren't, would love to get some feedback from members about how they think management is tracking and what you think of the current agreement as we approach its 12 month anniversary in December. And just for fun - Attached here is a notice about QR refreshment rooms from days gone by - Not too many vegetarian options but I see you could order a sausage roll and a hot pie. Central Station refreshment room looks like glorious place to down a pie. And here's a link to an article about railway refreshment rooms in Queensland. https://www.qhatlas.com.au/railway-refreshment-rooms In Solidarity Mel

09.01.2022 Aurizon coal members, UPDATE 2000hrs FRIDAY 23rd We have received confirmation that the company will be rectifying the TCAS issues. However, this will take a few days. In the meantime, if a shift is deferred during the old call times when TCAS didn't provide wake up calls, 0600-1900 I believe, the shift roster will call at your original wake up time to notify that you have been deferred. During the night, stay asleep and await the wake up call for you shift. Good result com...rades, have a great weekend ORIGINAL TEXT Thankyou for your response to the TCAS issue that has arisen this week. I have had multiple conversations with senior management including a meeting today at 1600hrs. Your emails and conversations with managers have been heard loud and clear! I am confident in saying that Aurizon are actively seeking urgent solutions to address our concerns. It appears not as simple as returning TCAS to its original functionality due to a company wide roster system change. That being said, I am confident that this issue will be rectified in the very near future. As always, your AFULE officials will maintain vigilance and push for the best and speediest outcome for our members. As details come to hand, I will be sure to update. Mick

09.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here a bit sooner than I thought I would be! I've just seen a notice from Coal SEQ advising that all of West Moreton network is closing between 5 and 10 September. This Notice, in typical SEQ Coal Style, gives you only half truths. It states that AZJ do not have to pay you if you don't elect to take leave or swap an RDO. ... The maximum number of your hours per year AZJ management can access to manage their shutdowns is 80. If you have already taken leave or swapped RDOs for another shutdown and it pushes you beyond 80 hours then they MUST pay you , if you do not elect to take the leave or swap further RDOs. I urge anyone in this position to contact your state office and talk to me. In solidarity (the design here is a pic I found on the Gear Junkie website). Mel

09.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here - just letting you know that we are in the Commission today over the AZJ West Moreton shutdown lack of appropriate notice dispute. The RTBU asked Mick late last week if they could join us so they will also be attending the conciliation. QR negotiations appear to be going quite well also and we are pretty close. We hope to be in a position this Thursday to provide full details on what has been negotiated. In PN news we have engaged Maurice Blackburn La...wyers to run the lift up and lay back dispute, which is proceeding to arbitration. I have been working with them to discuss the best way to frame our questions. Our lawyers will then talk to PN's lawyers and we should have questions ready for the Commission by midday tomorrow. I will be back with an update this afternoon after conciliation. In solidarity Mel PS - I'm not exactly sure where the pic here comes from - if anyone knows can you let me know so we can shout it out.

07.01.2022 The AFULE state office has today sadly been notified of the passing of former Division 5 Councillor and AFULE life member Ian Casey, after a brief battle with cancer. Ian was a long-time fighter for Traincrew and integral in several successful Queensland Rail Enterprise Agreement campaigns. On the 22nd of March 2019, Ian was proudly issued with life membership to the AFULE in recognition of 47 years of membership and numerous official positions held within that time. Ian wi...ll be remembered within the AFULE for the support and guidance he provided to members and officials. His appetite to fight for the workers and his ability to find resolutions that provided fair outcomes for members who called on him for assistance. Ian will be sorely missed and remembered well by his workmates and union family. Ian’s wife Marie, their children and grandchildren are all in our thoughts at this time. In solidarity, Mick

07.01.2022 Hi everyone - I have a few updates - but first I'd like to thank our lovely member, Peter Ziske , for this fabulous gift. I will be adding it to my retirement haul of AFULE coasters in the pool room. Love it. I have news for PN Intermodal, AZJ Bulk BC&D and AZJ SEQ Coal. PN Intermodal members we have had correspondence from the Company's lawyer today about the lift up lay back dispute and we will be letting the Commission know our position tomorrow. Mick isn't here to gi...ve me instructions today as he is in negotiations with our QR members but I'll let you all know what the response is ASAP. Now, IFAs - if you are our member and a BC & D worker in AZJ and you'd like to take part in a phone hook up to discuss the IFAs before Mick sits down with AZJ to iron out a few issues would you get in touch with your state office by phone or email statesec so we can arrange for you to be included. We have already raised a couple of issues with Sarah Dixon and she has agreed to send a representative for discussions. So thanks Sarah, we much prefer working with you in a cooperative rather than in a combative way. Better for all of us. 10/10 on this one so far. AZJ SEQ Coal in Toowoomba and Fish I - we have made an application into the FWC today as we could not resolve the dispute about the less than 28 days notification for shutdown starting 5 September. Will let you know when we have a listing for this one, we have flagged it is a bit urgent. My advice is do not elect to take any leave or swap RDOs etc -unless it suits you - until further notice. I will be in touch with updates on these issues. In solidarity Mel

07.01.2022 Hi everyone - Happy Friday - I have an update for QR, PN and AZJ. I went to a drafting session for the QR EA yesterday, it looks like it's going well, still not agreed on the things we were not agreed on at the start of the negs but Mick is feeling positive that we are closer together so watch this space. A big push to get it finalised next week. If we do this will be the first agreement negotiation in 10 years that I haven't had to file a protected Action Ballot applicatio...n for. Not counting my chickens on that one right now but my fingers are crossed. We heard from PN's lawyer yesterday rejecting our counter offer for an MOU and we are now off to arbitration. The Commissioner has directed us to determine questions for the arb with the company's lawyers, so we'll do that early next week. We are off to conciliation on Tuesday re the late West Moreton system shutdown notice. The RTBU lodged a dispute after we lodged ours as well and they have asked for their matter to be joined to ours in the Commission. Mick and I are meeting with the Regulator's delegate in Queensland next week as well. The pic is from the ACTU work site and is attached to a very short story about the Shearer's strike of 1891. In Solidarity Mel https://worksite.actu.org.au/shearers-strike-broken-beaten/

03.01.2022 Members, did you know you can update your details with the AFULE online via the AFULE website. If you have recently changed your home depot, address or any other details the AFULE ought to know about you follow this the link to update your details now. http://www.afule.org.au/membe/member-details/update-details

03.01.2022 Queensland Rail members, your AFULE bargaining team finalised negotiations on your proposed new enterprise agreement a few weeks ago. We are eager to share the results/ improvements with you however the signing off of your agreement has been held up by the due diligence of government. This is not unusual, but due to a backlog of agreements going through the current process, this has taken longer than originally anticipated. We are confident of the terms of your new EA being... agreed to in the very near future and you all having the ability to read and vote on the proposal. I will be sure to keep you updated on any news as it comes to hand. In solidarity, Mick

01.01.2022 Hi everyone - Mel here with an update for AZJ and QR - We have mainly sorted the issue in Townsville, where the bulk division was threatening to breach the agreement by forcing our member to work a make up shift for one he was rostered to undergo a test related to his medical. However we asked for an assurance that the bulk division would not do this again and have been told they need time to provide us with that. So we've allowed them some e extra time to respond and ho...pe we'll receive that assurance by COB tomorrow. Our other bulk issue is the conciliation on Monday and I'll give you a n update rte that ASAP. AZJ in general have invited us to discuss consultation next Tuesday. More delay tactics I think... So they don't have to come up with the goods. I wrote to them today requesting an overview of the changes to the SMS and I guess the meeting is the response. Sigh. I'll talk to Mick about what to do if we don't get the info he wanted by the end of the week. Obviously grounds for us to be VERY worried about what's gone on re the SMS given the lack of willingness to provide pretty basic info. It's really the worst knowing you can't trust the people who are supposed to be ensuring your safety. Still hopeful new management might turn out to be excellent. Though hope has faded somewhat as time goes by and no info is provided. In QR news we have a dispute meeting tomoz regarding our member the business has been trying to sack after he made a mistake. We got the investigation report and it was basically appalling work so we'll be pointing out our issues to QR tomorrow, I have 24 matters of dispute for them to respond to so far.... I'll try and get a further update out tomorrow after the meeting. Hope everyone is well and that you all know your state office prioritises your safety and the security of your employment even if your employers don't. In Solidarity Mel