KDH shows clearest intention yet of degradation to conditions under proposed agreement – VOTE NO!
Over the course of the last week, we have been seeking commitments and undertakings from Keolis Downer that it does not intend to fundamentally change our working conditions over the course of a new agreement if it is voted up next week.
The underhanded behaviour of this company continues to astound us. We provided clear and concise requests for commitments that under a new agreement, there would be no change to our working conditions that we have enjoyed for decades.
The company still won’t answer the question, but has sent us an “FAQ” document it provided to some employees last week. In the document, it still tries to mislead as to what its intentions actually are – but we have pulled out the bits that demonstrate its actual intentions.
The Union has said we will be asked to work more than 10 hours – is this true?
…KDH can also roster shifts that exceed nine hours…KDH’s intention is to continue rostering… the same way as under the current agreement… this may change in the future due to…business needs.
So the answer is probably. When the company talks about business needs, this includes a decision it needs to make more profit for its shareholders at the expense of our working conditions.
Is KDH asking bus drivers to have their meal break on the road?
KDH’s current intention is to continue providing meal breaks/cribs in the same way as under the current agreement…this may change in the future.
So the answer is almost certainly. The extensive qualifying language in this answer suggests that KDH is almost certainly hiding its true intentions.
KDH has still not answered whether it will commit to no financial detriment off the back of roster reviews. Given the refusal to even answer this question, the risk of a roster review eroding their proposed pay rise is high.
Finally, the company’s obsession with “WPI” is misplaced. What it needs to be comparing its wage rates to is CPI which is the cost-of-living measure. The comparison between CPI and KDH’s wage increases is shown in the below table:
It’s clear that KDH simply have to do better on their pay offer to ensure that we can all keep up with the rapidly rising cost of living. With CPI at 3.8% and the pay increases in years 2 and 3 of the agreement being 3.75%, the offer could potentially constitute a pay cut in real terms in those years if inflation remains at current levels or higher.
The strongest message we can send KDH is through a NO VOTE. Make sure you’re out there talking to your workmates about the real facts on this agreement. If you have any questions, ensure you contact your delegate or officials.
In unity,