Queensland Rail has come into conflict with the rail union over its attempt to hire train drivers externally and fill the quota required to maintain reliable services on the network.
The Queensland government announced the move to hire externally in late July, after previously only considering those with train driving experience for the positions, 200 of which it has been attempting to fill since the Strachan Inquiry’s findings earlier in the year.
The Inquiry’s report found that a chronic under-supply of train crew had been a significant cause of the service cancellations that rocked Queensland’s passenger rail lines.
The report recommended maintaining a “structural surplus” of train crew — including drivers— to reduce the risk of service cancellation and enable a fully-operational and regularly timetabled system.
The Strachan Inquiry recommended that the 200 required positions be filled by external hiring; however, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) argued that such a move would be in breach of the enterprise bargaining agreement established with Queensland Rail, which ensured candidates already employed by QR would be considered first.
100 drivers have been recruited from within Queensland Rail, while only 35 of those have been fully trained.
Now the operator is looking to hire from outside and consider those without experience in driving trains.
In response, the RTBU lodged a formal dispute with Queensland Rail, resolution of which the latter pursued through the Fair Commission.
The commission ruled in favour of Queensland Rail, which was welcomed by the government.
“We committed to implementing all the recommendations of the Strachan Inquiry and external recruitment is an absolutely critical part of that,” transport minister Jackie Trad was quoted as saying by the ABC.
“I want to thank and commend all Queensland Rail employees, including drivers and guards, who have been working incredibly hard throughout the reform process.”
But now the ABC has reported that there are now concerns that strike action will be called by the union.
Trad said that the RTBU was wrong to quarrel with the commission’s decision.
“Queensland Rail has consistently worked in good faith with the unions and believe they have met all their obligations under the existing enterprise agreement,” Trad said.
“We make no apologies for fixing the trains and giving Queensland commuters the services they deserve.
“We are determined to ensure that this reform process continues.”