ATTENTION: PTA RAILCAR DRIVERS
TIME TO VOTE
The ‘Terms of Reference’ of the Work Value Review have now been negotiated to a point where the EBA Offer is now ready to go to vote.
As the vote on the Offer is a vote on all its content contained within (and that was agreed in our counter offer), inclusive of the Work Value Review, it was decided it would be important for the membership that we waited until the ‘Terms of Reference’ was first negotiated to a version that both the Union and the PTA were happy to proceed with so you could have confidence in your vote. Hence the delay to date.
To assist in the understanding of the Work Value Review, I have worked with the PTA to create a FAQ document to accompany the ‘Terms of Reference’.
Attached is also the Offer (to which this vote is on).
Please respond to the email you should have received by 3pm (1500 hours) Tuesday the 1st of June 2021 with either a YES or a NO.
YES – you accept the offer
NO – you do NOT accept the offer
The majority vote received will be used to advise the PTA on the progression of the EBA.
Your vote will be confidential, that being only I will know who votes what so that I can accurately tally the vote count. It is your Agreement, so you have the right to vote as you so choose. I encourage those to be honest with their vote but know you are not required to vote. Please let your colleagues who are members know that the vote is now out so that they can respond accordingly if they so chose.
The drafting of the Agreement is currently being attended to by the PTA in conjunction with DMIRS, myself, and your representatives. There has already been much back and forth discussion as the wording is fine-tuned and reviewed to ensure no omission or addition that has not been agreed upon. The drafting itself is close to being completed. Once complete, I will share with the membership accordingly for feedback prior to any lodgement with the WAIRC.
If the Offer is ratified by the membership, and only after it has been ratified by the WAIRC, backpay will be received for the time that has passed since the current Agreement’s expiry – March 16, 2021. It is at this time (ratification by the WAIRC) that new entitlements and conditions within the Agreement will also be able to be accessed and utilised e.g. Easter Sunday.
I thank everyone for their patience on this matter. I will continue to provide updates as they arise.
If you have any questions, queries or didn’t receive the email to vote don’t hesitate to reach out.
In unity,
Joshua Dekuyer
