RTBU: Train Drivers Negotiations

Pacific National Coal negotiations will continue in the Fair Work Commission after Minister for Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten, stepped in to help resolve the current dispute.

This follows numerous requests from the RTBU for Pacific National to continue negotiations in order to reach an agreement.

PN Coal has either refused and or not even responded to every request from the union to come back to the negotiating table and has made it very clear at every opportunity that they will refuse to move from their wage offer.

The Minster has now stepped in and ordered the company back to the negotiating table.

National Secretary Bob Nanva said while the company’s bullying actions to date actions are not conducive to a company genuinely seeking to reach an outcome with its employees,

“We’ve been asking the company to come back to the negotiating table for some time now, but they’ve refused,”Mr Nanva said.

“The union is willing to participate in the negotiations if there is a commitment to address the legitimate concerns of 85 percent of members who comprehensively voted against the company’s proposed agreement.

“Members at PN Coal deserve an agreement that offer fair wages and conditions. The agreement the company put to the membership certainly didn’t provide that, but we’re hopeful the company will now be open to reaching an agreement that works for both parties.”