The union representing rail workers is returning to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) today arguing that KiwiRail’s decision to employ workers from China to repair faulty locomotives is a breach of the company’s collective agreement with the union, as well as a breach of good faith and its social responsibilities under the State Owned Enterprises Act.
‘The workers, employed by the Chinese-based company CNR, are here performing warranty work after KiwiRail discovered its imported diesel locomotives were faulty, most were even ridden with asbestos,’ said Rail and Maritime Transport Union spokesperson Todd Valster.
‘Our union has made repeated attempts to determine whether the workers from CNR are receiving minimum entitlements like the pay rates in our collective agreement or even the New Zealand minimum wage.’
‘Yet KiwiRail refuses to provide clear evidence that minimum standards and being met, it hasn’t even made this a requirement in its contracts with CNR.’
‘This isn’t good enough,’ said Valster.
‘This problem never would have emerged if KiwiRail employed its own workers to do the repairs and reconstruction. RMTU members have done similar work in the past.’
‘Instead it looks like KiwiRail is trying to skimp on cost, but going for low cost over quality is what got us the faulty locomotives in the first place.’
‘We’re concerned that the decision to bypass KiwiRail workers in favour of CNR workers from China is a breach of our collective agreement. But where workers from China are used, KiwiRail must ensure in its contract with CNR that workers pay and conditions meet New Zealand standards.’
The hearing will take place at the ERA in Wellington on the 14th, 15th and 16th of June.
