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🇦🇺 Australia /Economy & Trade

Queensland Rail Reaches Union Deal, But Full Service Restoration Remains Distant

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Queensland Rail has reached an in-principle agreement with unions covering about half of its workforce.
  • Despite the deal, full restoration of services to the south-east is not expected soon due to maintenance backlogs and ongoing negotiations.
  • The Acting Transport Minister stated that the agreement does not resolve the current issues affecting the south-east Queensland network.

Queensland Rail has achieved an in-principle agreement with unions representing approximately half of its workforce, following months of negotiations at the Fair Work Commission. This development, reached late Tuesday night, covers close to 3,500 workers.

I want to be really up-front, this is not going to resolve the issues we're seeing with the south-east Queensland network.

— Sam O'ConnorActing Transport Minister Sam O'Connor tempering expectations about the impact of the new agreement on service restoration.

However, Acting Transport Minister Sam O'Connor cautioned that this deal is far from a complete resolution for the ongoing service disruptions in the state's south-east. "I want to be really up-front, this is not going to resolve the issues we're seeing with the south-east Queensland network," O'Connor stated. He highlighted a significant maintenance backlog resulting from industrial actions over the past several months.

Currently, 273 fewer services, representing a 20 percent cut, are running in the south-east. Deals are still pending on three existing Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs). The Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), which represents train controllers, had previously planned industrial action impacting the State of Origin decider but has since withdrawn this in a show of good faith.

There is a significant maintenance backlog as a result of these actions that we've seen over the past several months.

— Sam O'ConnorActing Transport Minister Sam O'Connor explaining the reasons behind the continued service disruptions.

Queensland Rail workers are covered by six EBAs and represented by several unions. The agreement includes an 8 percent pay rise over three years and a "strategic delivery allowance." The final offer requires approval from the Queensland Rail board and the government before it can be fully implemented. The reduced timetable in the south-east will persist due to rollingstock maintenance backlogs, ongoing industrial action, and outstanding negotiations.

There was a suggestion of it but we have withdrawn any potential action impacting SOO [State of Origin] after discussions with QR [Queensland Rail] today, in a show of good faith and in an attempt to land an agreement.

— RTBUThe Rail, Tram and Bus Union explaining their decision to withdraw planned industrial action.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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