Rail Union Welcomes KiwiRail Decision Not To Force Redundancies.

Today’s announcement confirming that KiwiRail will not force any staff to become redundant as a result of its decision to suspend its Christchurch-Picton passenger service, the ‘Coastal Pacific’, over the winter months is welcome news, says the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU).

‘Whilst we stand by our view that it does not make sense to stop running this train over the winter, we are glad that KiwiRail has confirmed there will be no compulsory redundancies as a consequence ’ said RMTU Acting General Secretary Todd Valster.

‘The on board staffing on KwiRail’s Christchurch based TranzScenic passenger trains will reduce from 16 to 10 as a result of the so called seasonalisation of the Coastal Pacific. However, by a combination of natural attrition and staff using their leave entitlements, including parental leave, no one will be forced out of a job,’ he said.

‘KiwiRail has told us they will review the situation in 8-12 months and we’re hopeful that by then, with Christchurch’s recovery gathering pace, the future of this service will be a lot more secure,’ he said.

‘We put the decision not to go down the path of forcing workers out of jobs down to determined advocacy, hard work and persistence on the part of our Union and KiwiRail’s willingness to listen’, he said.

‘The company are restructuring other parts of TranzScenic, chiefly backroom support roles, but once again it looks like no-one is going to be forced out of a job,’ he said.

ENDS

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