Keolis Downer Newcastle Enterprise Bargaining Update
The RTBU met with KD management representatives Emmanuel Genlot, Nikki Garbett and Mel Hogan (General Manager, People and Culture) on Wednesday 16 and 23 February 2022 to continue negotiations for the Keolis Downer Newcastle Bus Operations Enterprise Agreement 2021.
The last 3 EA meetings have centred around your Log of claims (listed below) along with KD’s position for each claim. They have been categorised as follows: Agreed in-principle, rejected, further review and financial claim except for the last claim which is for “real” pay increases and will involve further discussion at the next EA meeting. KD have told your negotiating committee that all financial claims will be considered by KD as part of any overall package they may offer you.
View all the issues raise and KD’s responses in the Member Bulletin here.
Next Steps
KD have advised us that they are still reviewing your financial claims, to understand what it would mean for them if these claims/clauses were put into a new agreement. Your negotiating committee requested that KD put their Log of Claims on the table next week so we can understand what financial constraints they keep telling us they have and start focusing on what a “real” wage increase means for you.
Wages
Your negotiating committee is yet to put forward any figures that would represent a “real” wage rise other than stating that you have told us you want 2% above any pay rise to compensate for the loss of take home pay that KD can and have taken away from you through rostering.
Your negotiating committee will present KD, at the next meeting, a list of additional duties/responsibilities that you have identified, which have been introduced into the workplace with the expectation that these additional duties/responsibilities be acknowledged by KD and remunerated accordingly.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 2 March 2022.
Officials of the RTBU will be attending the depots next Friday 4 March 2022 to explain where we are up to in the negotiating process and to answer any questions you may have.
BELMONT: 10.00am
HAMILTON: 12.30pm
Please feel free to discuss any EA related questions with your local delegates Robin O’Donoghue and Glenn Saunders. Your Divisional Vice-President Brett Peters is also available to assist.