Talks between rail union and KiwiRail break down

Talks between the rail workers’ union and KiwiRail over the future of 40 jobs at Hillside workshops in Dunedin have broken down, after the union suggested the company was engaging in sham consultation.

KiwiRail is currently consulting on a proposal to cut its workforce in Dunedin and Lower Hutt by 70, and to buy 300 wagons from overseas instead of having them built locally.

A large turnout is expected at a public meeting on the matter in Dunedin tonight, which will hear from the Dunedin City Council, Otago Chamber of Commerce, opposition MPs and others.

RMTU General Secretary Wayne Butson said at issue was the union’s challenge to KiwiRail over the veracity of their data to back up claims that building trains in New Zealand is not economic.

“Our team has seen some information around the bids by Hillside and the Chinese manufacturer. We are not at all convinced by the analysis presented by KiwiRail. It is our view that they have either not taken some costs into account or they have withheld information,” he said.

“We will be seeking KiwiRail’s agreement to subject their data to independent analysis,” he said.

Organiser of tonight’s meeting, David Kearns, who works at Hillside, said that workers needed adequate information and sufficient time to make submissions on KiwiRail’s redundancy proposal.

“We want KiwiRail to meet its obligations as an SOE to consider the wider social impact of its proposal. We need time to put together a report on that and we need reliable information,” he said.

“We’re confident of strong local support from the public on our campaign to have these wagons built at home. We start with a public meeting tonight and we’ll do whatever it takes from there,” said David Kearns.

Ends.

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