General Union structures
The RTBU has a National Office located in Sydney and six State Branch offices. State Branches handle the bulk of day-to-day needs of Union members, including trade union training, grievances, legal support and provision of financial, medical and other support. Branch officers coordinate and lead negotiations and working parties around enterprise bargaining and award restructuring.
Branches are mainly organized on Divisional lines, though in smaller branches some Divisions are combined for efficiency reasons. Elections are held for Officers at each level.
The Union rules should always be consulted for detailed guidance to specific union structures and their functions and responsibilities. However, broad structures of the RTBU can be broken into four elements:
- Workplace representatives
- State Structures
- National structures
- Peak Councils at National, State and Provincial Levels.
Workplace Representatives
At the shop floor level it is common for Union members to elect one or more workplace representatives. These workplace representatives provide a vital two way communication link representing the day--to-day problems of their fellow workers.
State Branch Office
The Branch is administrated by 3 full time officials, consisting of the President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and various organizers and specialised support staff. Refer to the Who's Who page for details. The office deals with all state matters including Awards and local agreements. It provides industrial support for workplace representatives
It also coordinates state industrial activity and provides most members services. Most of the day-to-day industrial relations problems that the Union attends to are dealt with at this level. The 3 Officials in particular are concerned with handling disputes in the workplace. They are full-time official most directly in contact with the members. It is common for the delegates to refer a dispute to the officials, who will then resolve the dispute with Management.
The Union Rules specify the scope of membership and structures of the State Branch in NSW. For example Clause 97 ( Branch structure and organisation ) specifies that:
The Branch is principally organised on a branch, a branch divisional and a sub divisional basis.
The Branch Division is organized as follows:
- Administrative, Supervisory, Technical and Professional.
- Infrastructure
- Locomotive
- Rail Operations
- Tram and Bus ( That's us )
- Workshops, running sheds and Maintenance centres.
For further information on Union Rules please ask your Local Delegate or the Union office.
Federal Structure
National Council is the national governing body of the Union between conferences. It has the power to direct State branches or make recommendations which must be accepted by a majority of the State Branches before they are binding. It is comprised of elected delegates, officers from each state branch plus national officers.
National Office administers all Union matters at National level, including federal awards and determinations before the Industrial Relations Commission. It co-ordinates national campaigns and strategies and liaises with National Offices of other Unions and represents the RTBU on the ACTU. The National Office comprises the National Secretary and President, and Assistant National Secretaries representing Rail operations, Tram & Bus Division and Locomotive Engine Drivers.
Political affiliations with organisations such as the Australian Labor Party
To further the interests of Union members the Union and its officials are affiliated to a number of political and community groups, to ensure that the Union can be heard at all levels of the community.
These include:
- Australian Labor Party, at both State and Federal level conferences directly involved in debates around policies which affect rail and bus industry and conditions.
- Labor Council of New South Wales and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, as well as the International Transport Workers Federation.
- Lobbying of Governments and industry groups.
The Union makes submissions to governments, State and Federal, and to the transport industry generally on every matter of interest and concern to the Union's members. The Union participates in a variety of community movements such as the Environmental, Women's, Disability and Indigenous organisations.
Through these channels the Union is always working for the benefit of its members, the industry and the community at large.
