RailCorp Train Crew Council

Negative Treatment of RailCorp Train Drivers Following Recent Incidents and the Release of the Waterfall Inquiry Interim Report...

[ Distributed to Various Sydney Radio and Television Stations and Newspapers ]

There has been much talk in the media on behalf of State Rail (now RailCorp) senior management and in parliamentary circles about the conduct, health standards, etc. of RailCorp's suburban and intercity train drivers since the release of the Waterfall Inquiry Interim Report.

While the implications of the report are far-reaching and highlight a number of intrinsic problems in the way RailCorp's human resources and train safety systems are managed, many RailCorp train crewing staff believe that the State Government and indeed senior RailCorp management are more concerned about the political fallout of the Interim Report and how it will affect the Government's chances of re-election rather than focusing on the business of acting on and implementing changes coming out of recommendations in the Report in ways which give the most benefit to both customers and staff.

Many questions remain unanswered in regards to the implementation of procedures relating to the new health standards, the introduction of random drug testing for RailCorp's rail safety workers (train crewing staff, signallers, train controllers, etc.), and new fitness-for-duty attestment procedures being developed for train crewing staff.

The other significant issue at the moment relates to RailCorp train drivers acting to exercise their right to secure their rostered days off so that they cannot be given overtime shifts on those days. It has always been the case that train crewing staff are able to retain their rostered days off if they wish to.

There is NO legal or moral obligation for RailCorp train drivers to make themsevles available to work extra shifts if they don't want to. Despite what any senior RailCorp manager or the Minister might say, there is no requirement compelling train drivers (or any other class of train crewing staff. ie. Guards, etc.) to sacrifice rostered days off to work extra shifts.

RailCorp management uses the term 'reasonable amount of overtime' to justify their claim that we should make at least one additional day available for work during each roster period (currently two weeks for most RailCorp train crewing staff). There is no legally-accepted definition of 'reasonable amount of overtime' which is relative to the nature of our work.

Attempting to mandate that RailCorp train crewing staff must make themselves available to work any number of extra shifts is not acceptable, and RailCorp management must accept the full responsibility for problems relating to staff shortages, etc. which have been ongoing since well before the events of recent years.

Train crewing staff, just like any other type of RailCorp employee, require rostered days off to have adequate rest and relaxtion away from work, to spend time with their family, to take part in social and/or recreational activities, and (as best as possible) to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Not only that, but working extra shifts increases the level of fatigue, which on it's own is dangerous, but due to the nature of our irregular style of shiftwork, the risk of fatigue-induced accidents can increase dramatically when working extra shifts and sacrificing rest and relaxtion time, especially when a staff member might be having problems at home with his/her family, financial problems, health problems, or anything else which impacts on a person's wellbeing.