Rail workers at Transdev Wellington (TDW) and Hyundai Rotem Company (HRC) are taking industrial action from 0001hours tomorrow morning (Tuesday 17 September 2024).

In a secret ballot, Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) members have overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action – 99% at TDW and 98% at HRC.

RMTU have a multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) with these two employers. TDW is the rail operator and HRC is the rolling stock maintenance provider for Wellington commuter lines. There are 380 RMTU members at TDW and 55 RMTU members at HRC.

Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Todd Valster says at this stage the industrial action is an overtime ban, shift change and/or shift extension bans.

Mr Valster says the aim is for minimum impact to the travelling public.

He says management have attacked employees conditions during this negotiation round.

“These conditions include compensation for medical termination, retirement allowances and staff discounts on trains and ferries.”

Mr Valster says all of these conditions are in the other RMTU Collective Agreements in rail.

He says these conditions were in place when TDW and HRC were awarded the Wellington rail contract in 2016, and when the contract was extended to 2031 by the Greater Wellington Regional Council in 2023.

“The people of Wellington need to be aware that these companies send millions of dollars overseas to their owners while failing deliver the level of public transport services we should expect.”

Since taking over the commuter rail operations in 2016, TDW has been constantly attacking or attempting to attack rail workers conditions, says Mr Valster.

“These workers previously had to take industrial action in 2017, the first time their employment agreement was renewed since TDW took over the contract.”

© Scoop Media