Rail union protests at Sydney Metro Tallawong station, allegations of on-the-spot sacking

A protest has broken out at a Sydney Metro northwest station following the sacking of a new employee.

Union members protest outside the Rouse Hill Tallawong Sydney Metro station.

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A protest has broken out at the Tallawong Sydney Metro station at Rouse Hill following the sacking of a new employee.

Union members protest outside the Rouse Hill Tallawong Sydney Metro station. From left to right: Alex Claassens, Robert (employee who was sacked) and Adam Searle.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union Secretary Alex Claassens said workers were taking legal action following the “on-the-spot sacking” of an active union member at the new Metro Trains Sydney organisation — the group which will run the new driverless metro train service.

“Management at the privatised metro service are currently refusing to meet with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, which has grave concerns about the employment and working conditions of workers at the new service,” he said.

“Management at the new metro system have been actively attempting to lock the union out of the workplace, and now we have a shocking situation where an active union member is mysteriously fired, without any valid reason given.

“We’ll be representing this worker and providing him and his fellow workers with all the support we can.”

Union members protest outside the Rouse Hill Tallawong Sydney Metro station.

Mr Claassens said the sacking occurred last Wednesday.

‘He has been employed for almost 6 months and had been an active delegate for the past few months,” he said.

“On Monday he was promoting a petition, called a majority support determination petition, which would have resulted in negotiations with the union.

“Two days later he was brought into the office for dismissal.”

The representative said the union could not go to the Fair Work Commission “because he was just shy of 6 months”.

‘We will take the issue to the Federal Court,” he said. “We will lodge a temporary reinstatement matter today and we are confident they will have to reinstate him.

“We are hoping we could get his job back — we have never had to use these methods before.”

A Sydney Metro spokesman said it has been advised by Metro Trains Sydney (MTS) that “MTS does not comment on individual circumstances of its employees, however MTS holds its employees to certain standards of behaviour and conduct”.

“MTS will continue to address this issue with the RTBU through the appropriate channels,” the spokesman said.