Collective action gets results!

Train Controllers employed at the Public Transport Authority were recently reclassified from Level 4 to Level 5. A number of employees had been trying to get reclassified for some time - without success. ASU Delegate, Doug Borrows decided it was time to talk to his union organiser and together they worked out the strategy to get things resolved.

"For a long time, we followed the "proper" process. However this was getting us nowhere. In the end we took some collective action - and this got management moving! Our reclass issue was resolved within a week!" said Doug.

5 reasons they won:

Every affected worker was a union member
The workplace Delegate listened to his work colleagues and understood the issues.
Members worked together. Collective action is important.
Members didn't give up after management said no the first time.
Members communicated honestly with management and told them they were unhappy when the claim was first refused.

The collective action members took was to perform all of the duties required by their contract of employment - but nothing extra. Like a lot of workers, our members had been taking on extra responsibilities which were not formally required of them.

They decided to stop bending over backwards, doing unpaid extra work until management seriously addressed their issues. This meant out of hours phone calls - often very early in the morning - were now referred to more senior staff who were more appropriately paid.

The dispute was settled on 25^th January 2008, the day before one of the busiest nights of the year. The timing of this dispute was important as it usually is.

Congratulations to our PTA members, who have demonstrated the power of collective action once again.

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