The blog on the negotiations for a new collective agreement in QIMR has been updated!  Click here to read the post.

A boost for your campaign has just come through!

Together you are a strong union group of TMR workers who have stuck firm and rejected the low offers from management and stood up for a fair deal. Your stop work actions, rallies and political lobbying have already made a difference.

When colleagues ask what have you done? This is what you tell them:

• What did you do when TMR threatened to take away your 1 July operative date to force you to accept an inadequate deal? Together you stood firm and told them - your offer's still not fair.
• What did you do when operational staff unions were offered 3% and a 3 year agreement? Together you remained strong and said - TMR where's the equity now?
• What did you do when APESMA members signed up to TMR's offer that delivered less than a 2.5% pay rise before the end of July? Together you fought harder and said - sorry but we won't accept an inadequate deal.

It is because of your strong and unwavering industrial campaign that TMR have been forced to improve their offer at least 3 times - but it is still not fair.

And today we write to let you know about an important decision of the Queensland Industrial Relations commission (QIRC) that has the capacity to enhance your campaign.

Last night the (QIRC) handed down a decision in the Queensland Police Arbitration.

The QIRC awarded your public sector colleagues in the Queensland Police force pay rises of 3.8%, 3.8% and 3.5% over 3 years.

This is a significant increase on the government's 2.5% wages policy which was initially offered to police and of course it is much higher than the inadequate offer TMR and the Government is currently offering you.

Majority of unions now in dispute

And in further late-breaking news the operational staff unions have this morning rejected the offer TMR had made them of 3% a year for 3 years plus $500. This means that TMR are now once again in dispute with you and all your colleagues and fellow union members from the AWU, AMWU, CFMEU and ETU.

APESMA however have signed up to the inadequate offer TMR made workers back in July and TMR have already threatened that they may try to put this inadequate offer to ballot because APESMA have signed up to it. If this happens Together members should vote no and continue their campaign for a fair deal.

In this recent decision the QIRC has vindicated your stand in rejecting the inadequate offers to date. And they have set a new benchmark for a fair wage rise that takes into account the rising cost of living hitting Queensland public sector workers and their families.

You deliver roads and road safety for Queensland - you need to be paid fairly.

Meeting the Minister - next week!

Your Together union delegates Terry Crimston and Ray Booker along with General Secretary Alex Scott were expecting to meet with Minister Craig Wallace yesterday however he had to cancel at the last minute.

This is actually a good outcome as we can now meet next week with the added benefit of some game-changing decisions from the QIRC in the Police Arbitration and it gives you additional time for political lobbying. The meeting with the Minister, which we're hoping will occur early next week, will be the next important phase of negotiations.

What can you do to win?

Together members now need to use this news to your advantage before your delegates head into the meeting with Minister's meeting next week.

Not only do you need to lobby your local MPs but you need to encourage all your colleagues to do the same. And if you've already spoken to or emailed your MP - call again and refer to the late breaking Police decision and ask them to help you achieve the same benchmark in fairness for your wages.

If you campaign hard now - you can win but you'll need every Together member and your non-member colleagues to get involved, especially if management or APESMA force the inadequate offer to ballot.

Now is the most critical time for your campaign for a fair go for TMR workers. If you want a wage that keeps pace with the rising cost of living you need to act now.

Together you are stronger!

If you and your colleagues would like to hold another union meeting at your worksite contact dtmr@qpsu.org.au for the latest information and materials.

Last week members across Queensland stopped work to demonstrate clearly to management that they are serious about pursuing a fair and reasonable outcome for the bargain around their wages and conditions for the next 3 years.

Last Wednesday the 3rd of August we again met with Queensland Health representatives to negotiate about wages and conditions.

The blog on the negotiations for a new collective agreement in QIMR has been updated!  Click here to read the post.

A negotiation update has been added to the HP Stronger Together web site.

Action

Yesterday at TMR worksites across Queensland members stopped work for up to 5 hours and held pickets outside key sites to demonstrate to TMR that a 13 month offer, that was less than what was offered to other workers, was not a fair deal.

This was an incredibly successful action that received widespread media coverage - delegates gave great interviews and the message was loud and clear  - you deserve a better deal!

A big congratulations to all members who participated and delegates who coordinated and participated in yesterday's actions - it was a great success!

The blog on the negotiations for a new collective agreement in QIMR has been updated!  Click here to read the post.

Following on from the very successful and well-attended lunch time rally last Thursday (21 July 2011) where over 300 workers from Brisbane and the South East met at the Spring Hill Office Complex to rally for a better deal, TMR management called further urgent talks with union representatives.