Redbank Workshops

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Government asked to protect 300 rail jobs in lease deal

Up to 300 of the remaining 400 rail jobs at Ipswich's Redbank railway workshops will be lost if the next round of a state government contract to service trains is not done in Redbank, the city's mayor warns.

Ipswich is Queensland's spiritual home of rail because the state's first two train lines rail line ran from Grandchester to Ipswich in 1865, and from Ipswich to Brisbane in 1875.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said around 400 rail jobs remained at the historic Redbank Railway Workshops which, at their peak, employed thousands of workers.
Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale.

The current contract to service the existing Citytrain network is being done by Aurizon, however in May 2014 Aurizon said they would not continue the contract after June 2015.

Aurizon, who had owned the Redbank Railway Workshops site until Tuesday, proposes closing down the workshops by June 2017.

On May 5 Aurizon said their decisions to close both their Redbank (450 employees) and Townsville (115 employees) rail workshops could cost 480 jobs in total from the two rail workshops. 

The historic Redbank Railway workshops – until Tuesday owned by Aurizon – was sold to industrial property giant Goodman Group for $74 million.

The Goodman Group has established a nearby transport centre, also at Redbank at the Redbank Motorway Estate.

Cr Pisasale argues Queensland Rail's next round of train maintenance must be completed at the Redbank rail workshops to allow the Goodman Group the time to develop to critical mass at the Redbank rail site.

"Aurizon are going to get out of passenger freight next year," Cr Pisasale said.

"So what we want from QR is just to make sure that whoever wins that contract, to make sure that they operate from there (Redbank)," Cr Pisasale said.

The next contract is to be awarded in 2015.

"What we want...for the next five years, is when the government puts out a tender, make sure that they use the existing facilities (at Redbank)," Cr Pisasale said.

"It is very easy to do and that will guarantee everybody jobs until we create the new jobs."

Those new jobs at Redbank will come in the medium-to-longer term from the investment from the Goodman Group, Cr Pisasale said.

"The Redbank Motorway Estate will become a massive transport hub," Cr Pisasale argued.

"It will all come together," he said.

"What this will do is resurrect the site and create much-needed jobs.

"But what we want the government to do is to just help us out over the next couple of years with that contract – whoever it is – to make sure the work is done from there (Redbank)."

Queensland Rail was asked on Tuesday if the next contract could be completed at the Redbank rail workshops to protect the jobs.

No reply from Queensland Rail or the Department of Transport and Main Roads was received by 8pm.

In a media statement, Aurizon confirmed their sale included a 10-year leaseback which would allow Aurizon to continue operating until 2017.

The contract also has "the flexibility to consider opportunities to negotiate other commercial sub-leases for rail-related or industrial activities", the statement read.

Aurizon is centralising its maintenance work in Rockhampton, because it is closer to the majority of its services in central Queensland.

The Redbank Railway Workshop – originally owned by Queensland Rail – was transferred to Aurizon from the sale of Queensland Rail's rail freight services in 2010.

Queensland Rail's freight arm was privatised into QR National in 2010 and was re-branded as Aurizon in 2012.

Ipswich councillor Paul Tully said the decision to establish a master planned industrial park – the Redbank Motorway Estate – was proving worthwhile for Ipswich.

"This announcement that the Goodman Group has bought the workshops gives the community the most positive sign yet that the Redbank Workshops will have a new lease on life after 2017," Cr Tully said.

"There will be new opportunities in the longer term with confirmation the lease back arrangement with Aurizon allows for sub-leases by other rail maintenance enterprises."

Goodman Group Queensland general manager David Bracken could not be contacted on Tuesday.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Pisasale calls for train maintenance to remain at Redbank

TRAIN maintenance must remain at the Redbank workshops to save jobs and allow its new owner to build up sufficient tenants, Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said.

But Queensland Rail has cast doubt on the idea.

The workshops have been bought by industrial property group Goodman Australia, which owns the nearby Redbank Motorway Estate.

The sale from Aurizon for $74 million includes a leaseback period that will allow for Aurizon's scheduled activities right up to 2017.

Goodman says that the transaction also has the flexibility to consider opportunities to negotiate other commercial sub-leases for rail-related or industrial activities.

In May this year, Aurizon announced a significant portion of work will cease at Redbank in June 2015 with the expiry of a passenger contract for Queensland Rail, with a progressive phase out to June 2017 when it is proposed the workshop will close.

Cr Pisasale said about 400 jobs remained at the historic Redbank railway workshops which once employed thousands of workers.

He said Queensland Rail train maintenance must continue at Redbank.

"What we want for the next five years is that when the government puts out a tender, make sure that they use Redbank," Cr Pisasale said. "Hopefully the State Government can ensure any future Queensland Rail contract for passenger fleet maintenance is located at Redbank."

However, a Queensland Rail spokeswoman said that it would be "improper for Queensland Rail to stipulate that a particular company must use a specific facility in order to be awarded a contract."

The spokeswoman said Queensland Rail operated "a fair and scrupulous tender process when awarding contracts".

"Should a bidder plan to base its operations at Redbank, its tender for work would be fairly considered alongside any others," she said.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads was procuring 75 new six-car trains as part of its New Generation Rollingstock Project at Wulkuraka, which also includes a new facility to service and maintain the new trains.

"During the peak of construction, the project is expected to create or maintain 514 full-time local jobs," she said.

"Regarding the heavy maintenance of the remaining city network train fleet, a rigorous tender process will be undertaken before the contract expires."

[Gazza]

Wont everyone just apply for jobs en-masse at Wulkuraka when it opens?

[darthcaligula666]

thats why i was thinking would happen. i would love to work at the wulkuraka facility and will certainly be applying (could be interesting!)

[mufreight]

There will be an overlap between the closing of Redbank and the opening of Wulkaraka for one and then many of those trades currently working at Redbank will not be required at Wulkaraka, it is more probable that many of those currently employed at Redbank refurbishing the present electrics will transfer to whoever is successful in obtaining the contract for the refurbishing the remaining old electric fleet which will shrink in numbers as the NGR trains come into service.
As an aside is there any group that will preserve selected units of the present electrics as they are taken out of service.  any list of units for preservation should include a first series EMU set, an ICE set and a 39 class loco, it would seem that with the diesels we have largely missed the boat in comparison with other states.

[Gazza]

True, but one might take a redundancy from Redbank, live off that and then move over to Wulkuraka when it opens.

[mufreight]

Gazza that sounds good but overlooks a couple of facts the first being that at each stage of the shutdown Aurizon is only offering so many redundancies and secondly they are not offering early redundancies to workers they need co continue their existing operations so those staff who wished to leave early to go to Wulkaraka would find that they would not get a redundancy and that if they stay at Redbank until they become redundant they will miss out on jobs at Wulkaraka.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Choat is 'dreaming' on rail jobs

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> 115 more job losses at Aurizon signals end of era (Redbank Wksps)

A SAD end looms for the old Redbank Railway Workshops with a further 115 Aurizon staff made redundant in June.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union organiser Steve Franklin said the staffing levels had fallen from 1000 two years ago, down to just over 100, following 880 job losses.

The freight rail operator announced in May of last year of its plans "to reduce existing capacity across the two workshops in Townsville and Redbank because it exceeds current and forecast maintenance demand for freight operations by Aurizon".

That decision, the company said, would see "a small reduction in roles by June 2014; a further reduction by June 2015 with the expiry of the passenger contract performed for Queensland Rail; and then a progressive wind down of activities through to June 2017, when it is proposed the workshop will close."

An Aurizon spokesperson told the QT the recent redundancies were "a result of the expiry in June 2015 of passenger-related contracts that Aurizon had performed for Queensland Rail".

"Approximately 130 employees left in June," the spokesperson said.

"This included nine employees who were deployed to other roles in the company and six fixed-term employees.

"The remainder of employees received redundancy packages."

The spokesperson said around 120 employees remained at the Redbank site.

Mr Franklin said the further loss of jobs was "a further blow to local manufacturing in Ipswich".

"All the workplace agreements in Aurizon were squashed by the Fair Work Commission and people were moved more or less back onto the award," Mr Franklin said

"There is an ongoing appeal process. The redundancies are all in line with the closure of the shop but I suspect it has been brought forward."

Blair MP Shayne Neumann said the former State Labor Government's decision to privatise rail assets was coming back to haunt Ipswich.

"It cost them the election (in 2012) and the consequences of this was that it cost people jobs and was devastating for our local community," he said.

"It was a terrible political error of judgment which had severe ramifications for the local economy and livelihoods of people in our region."

The Aurizon spokesperson said the company "actively seeks redeployment for affected employees" and "re-skilling, re-training and job seeking support to assist with career transition."

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Reports of fire at railway workshops

[bretto82]

Hey bob it was not the workshops it was the queensland rail track depot behind the workshops near Simtars that had the fire the paper has so much over board info in that report its not funny haha all were safe and out just a bit smoke water and heat damage assessment should be done by tomorrow from my mate on the ground

[ozbob]

Hey bob it was not the workshops it was the queensland rail track depot behind the workshops near Simtars that had the fire the paper has so much over board info in that report its not funny haha all were safe and out just a bit smoke water and heat damage assessment should be done by tomorrow from my mate on the ground

Thanks! 

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> New deal will keep Redbank rail workshops open to 2024

RAILWAY facilities in Redbank that were due to close down next year will instead remain open until at least 2024 thanks to a deal signed between Aurizon and United States company Progress Rail Services.

The deal means up to 90 jobs have been saved at the Redbank Maintenance Facility.

Under the agreement, the Redbank facilitiy will take on Aurizon's non-core maintenance work.

"The companies have proposed that a majority of the current workforce transition with the service agreement, subject to consultation with employees," Aurizon announced in a statement today.

"The impact of the transition is expected to be minimal because of the installed equipment and the skilled employee base."

Aurizon managing director and CEO Lance Hockridge signed a memorandum of understanding with Progress Rail president and CEO Billy Ainsworth at their headquarters in Illinois.

Aurizon said the non-binding MOU was expected to be converted to a finalised commercial agreement within months.

The new agreement is expected to be implemented from July 1, 2016 to October 2024.

Aurizon vice president of engineering and maintenance Patrick O'Donnell said the agreement would enable Aurizon to save costs and increase productivity over the next decade.

He said a key part of the change was to separate core and non-core maintenance services.

"The deal is also an exceptional outcome for the community of Ipswich, setting in motion a new era for the historic Redbank rail workshops," he said.

The statement said Aurizon and Progress Rail would collaborate on creating a more efficient supply chain to deliver parts to Aurizon's national fleet of trains.

Aurizon said the new deal allowed it to form a long-term partnership with an equipment manufacturer that supplies rail equipment across the world.