Article: Queensland Rail offers redundancy bonus

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Queensland Rail offers redundancy bonus

Queensland Rail offers redundancy bonus
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Steven Wardill

December 01, 2008 11:00pm

TAXPAYERS could be hit with a bill of almost $120 million to shunt Queensland Rail out of the "steam train" era and end rules that guarantee thousands of employees jobs for life.

The Courier-Mail has learnt QR's hierarchy is attempting to buy off almost 12,000 employees with one-off bonuses of $10,000 for their support of a forced redundancy rule.

The move would ensure that the much maligned state-owned company could force out workers whose jobs are considered surplus. At present QR employees can only be sacked for disciplinary reasons, such as failing to show up for work or driving a train through a red light, but have to be shifted to new jobs if their existing role is considered unnecessary. However, unions are yet to recommend to workers that they support the extraordinary bonus payments.

In a written statement, QR chief executive officer Lance Hockridge yesterday said the bonus payments would be money well spent as forced redundancies would help convert the company into a modern-day business.

"This package represents fundamental change to QR's industrial relations environment, taking us out of the steam era and on to equal or better footing than our competitors," he said.

"This is an investment in long-term savings and new business through greater workforce flexibility and competitiveness.

"Current workplace agreements are too rigid, complex and not particular to a specific area such as passengers. This is not good for customers, QR or employees."

Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Owen Doogan said QR was a long way from convincing its employees that they should vote in favour of the current offer.

Mr Doogan said the enterprise negotiations would take time to complete and QR was yet to outline how it planned to use the proposed powers. There is already widespread concern within QR's ranks that hundreds of jobs will be lost.

"They would, at some point, want to use it, but just what they want to use it for we don't know," he said.

Under the deal, 11,900 permanent staff members, including train drivers, track workers as well as workshop and administration staff, would be eligible for the bonus payment.

Executives and other staff employed on contract would not be eligible.

Workers will have a choice of taking the $10,000 in a single taxed lump sum, as separate payments of $5000 in the 2008-9 and 2009-10 financial years or as a superannuation boost. Several other sweeteners also have been offered, including increased family leave.

Mr Hockridge said extensive consultation was under way and about 2000 staff had been briefed.