Article: 2000 Queensland Rail workers facing the axe

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

2000 Queensland Rail workers facing the axe

2000 Queensland Rail workers facing the axe

    by: Robyn Ironside and Sarah Vogler
    From: The Courier-Mail
    July 05, 2012 12:00AM

MORE than 2000 staff face the chop at Queensland Rail, with the State Government planning a 30 per cent reduction in the workforce.

Those under pressure include a "bloated corporate office" which includes 12 senior executives who each earn an average of $377,500 a year.

The Courier-Mail also understands 500 jobs are set to go from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, which employs more than 4000 people.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads is also facing a reduction in staff.

The cuts follow the loss of thousands of workers whose contracts expired last week.

After confusion last Friday about the number of job losses, Premier Campbell Newman said yesterday "the union figure of 3000 was probably in the ballpark".

The Cabinet Budget Review Committee has discussed the need to "rip the guts" out of Queensland Rail and slash job numbers from 7200 to 5000.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson yesterday confirmed Queensland Rail was facing a major upheaval following a review of the Government-owned corporation's "bloated executive".

"There is $4.53 million being paid to 12 senior executives, each paid above the CEO level for Government departments," Mr Emerson said.

"Over the past two years, staffing has increased by 68 per cent in the communication, stakeholder and marketing area, 122 per cent increase in (the) finance area, and 66 per cent in strategy and corporate services.

"Labor oversaw a bloated corporate office that the Queensland taxpayer can no longer afford."

The news follows Translink staff being told 20 per cent of positions have to go from the agency which co-ordinates train, bus and ferry timetables and administers the go card.

The news was delivered on Tuesday, 100 days since the LNP took office.

About 400 people are employed by Translink, which has 353 full-time equivalent roles.

The number of job cuts being considered by the Government has shocked Queensland Rail staff who were issued with an order on Monday to "focus on efficiency and eliminate waste".

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Newman's repeated claims about not knowing specific numbers of job losses were "completely false".

""Can Mr Newman now guarantee no slackening of service and safety standards throughout our rail system?" Ms Palaszczuk said.

[ozbob]

Some staff cutbacks are probably in order, I am not sure though if a 30% reduction will be a good outcome.  Duplication between TransLink and operators needs to be examined first and rational decisions made.   But rationality doesn't seem to be a strong point with the Queensland Government.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

5th July 2012

Comment: Slashing staff Queensland Rail and TransLink

Greetings,

According to media reports there is a slash burn program planned for Queensland Rail and TransLink.

--> 2000 Queensland Rail workers facing the axe   http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-rail-workers-facing-axe/story-e6freoof-1226417284365

There are certainly some efficiencies to be made, but simply enacting a 'political revenge' agenda will be counter-productive ultimately.

There are areas of overlap between TransLink and all operators, sorting this out would be more productive.

Is Brisbane Transport being subjected to the slash and burn agenda?  Or are mates off limits?

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[Stillwater]

Sorting out the lines of responsibility between QR and Translink should be the starting point, with staff numbers adjusted accordingly.  Determining an arbitrary number, or percentage, of people to go would appear to be putting the cart before the horse.  What's worrying is that planning staff are caught up in the downsizing, suggesting that there won't be much planning going on over the next few years. 

[#Metro]

Some staff cutbacks are probably in order, I am not sure though if a 30% reduction will be a good outcome.  Duplication between TransLink and operators needs to be examined first and rational decisions made.   But rationality doesn't seem to be a strong point with the Queensland Government.

Can I ask why QueensLand Rail has a marketing division at all. Shouldn't that be a TL function?

Will Brisbane Transport see its fiesta of wasteful network of duplication and Maroon CityGliders cut? Will it cut waste by introducing bus lanes?

[Derwan]

I have a feeling that this cut will include people who run the CRG's - and that the CRG's will cease to exist. 

Perhaps that's why there's an all-lines meeting tonight... to make the announcement.

[Fares_Fair]

"Over the past two years, staffing has increased by 68 per cent in the communication, stakeholder and marketing area, 122 per cent increase in (the) finance area, and 66 per cent in strategy and corporate services."

It is singled out ...

[Gazza]

Some staff cutbacks are probably in order, I am not sure though if a 30% reduction will be a good outcome.  Duplication between TransLink and operators needs to be examined first and rational decisions made.   But rationality doesn't seem to be a strong point with the Queensland Government.

Can I ask why QueensLand Rail has a marketing division at all. Shouldn't that be a TL function?

Will Brisbane Transport see its fiesta of wasteful network of duplication and Maroon CityGliders cut? Will it cut waste by introducing bus lanes?

Translink isn't responsible for marketing traveltrain.

[colinw]

The Kennett era has arrived in QLD, just 20 years after Victoria went through this phase.

I completely agree that cuts must be made and some fat trimmed, but it has to be done sensibly.  The thing that bothers me is that there is a strong smell of "political payback" in the air, and bad decisions may be made as a result.

On the other hand, in my opinion anyone who thinks the State can continue with the current level of public sector growth & spending has their head very far up their posterior. The State is just like any business - get into a bad position and you make cuts.  Also - just like in the private sector - which cuts you make and how they are done has a huge impact on the outcome and whether the situation turns around.

I do question, however, where the CM get this "2000" number from. If you read the ministerial release it says nothing of the sort:

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=79785

This is going to be interesting. Could be a positive thing, or could be a catastrophe depending on how it is done.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Some staff cutbacks are probably in order, I am not sure though if a 30% reduction will be a good outcome.  Duplication between TransLink and operators needs to be examined first and rational decisions made.   But rationality doesn't seem to be a strong point with the Queensland Government.

Can I ask why QueensLand Rail has a marketing division at all. Shouldn't that be a TL function?

Will Brisbane Transport see its fiesta of wasteful network of duplication and Maroon CityGliders cut? Will it cut waste by introducing bus lanes?

Translink isn't responsible for marketing traveltrain.

Also add in sponsorships, community programs and events (not just in Brisbane but across the state), level crossing/near miss/safety campaigns, advertising and promoting TravelTrain to a national and international market, promoting CityTrain services (quiet carriage, twitter, facebook, youtube media, courtsey to passengers etc), special train services and so on and so on.

[somebody]

The Kennett era has arrived in QLD, just 20 years after Victoria went through this phase.

And history looks upon that era as largely making the hard decisions, even if some cuts went to deep.

I wish Campbell had run for Premier in 2009.  Might have stopped some of the crazy talk the Libs did in the campaign.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland Rail ordered to cut bloated executive

[ozbob]

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=79785

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Thursday, July 05, 2012

Government to target bloated rail executive

The Newman Government has ordered Queensland Rail to refocus its business on the delivery of frontline services following a review of the Government Owned Corporation's bloated executive.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Scott Emerson said Queensland Rail has been told to identify savings in their corporate numbers, which has seen significant increases over the past two years

"There is $4.53 million being paid to 12 senior executives, each paid above the CEO level for Government Departments," Mr Emerson said.

"By comparison, the Department of Transport and Main Roads has only two senior executives paid at CEO level for an organisation of similar size.

"Likewise there are more than 60 General Managers in Queensland Rail compared to 20 in Transport and Main Roads.

"Over the past two years, staffing has increased by 68 per cent in the communication, stakeholder and marketing area, 122 per cent increase in finance area, and 66 per cent in strategy and corporate services area.

"Labor oversaw a bloated corporate office that the Queensland taxpayer can no longer afford.

"Queenslanders need a rail service that focusses more clearly on frontline services.

"Queensland Rail has been asked to report back to the Government on how it will achieve savings that can be redirected in that way.

"I've asked all transport agencies to look for savings in their head office to ensure we get Queensland's budget position back to a sustainable level."

[WTN]

I just hope these cuts are sensible and don't result in a reduction of services or standards. Cut the waste and not the good stuff.

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times 6th July 2012 page 5

Union hopeful our QR staff will be spared

[petey3801]

Apparently in a meeting with the Minister, Queensland Rail said they wanted to get rid of guards to cut the costs (can't have all the pointless managers being sacked now, can we?!?), however the Minister was not willing to agree to that, so the Guards have a reprive for now...

[ozbob]

 

[Gazza]

however the Minister was not willing to agree to that, so the Guards have a reprive for now...

Get rid of them and retrain them as drivers!

[Fares_Fair]

however the Minister was not willing to agree to that, so the Guards have a reprive for now...

Get rid of them and retrain them as drivers!

With no more new trains to come till 2014, and no improvements happening in frequency.
What would they drive?

[Gazza]

however the Minister was not willing to agree to that, so the Guards have a reprive for now...

Get rid of them and retrain them as drivers!

With no more new trains to come till 2014, and no improvements happening in frequency.
What would they drive?

Touche.

[somebody]

Apparently in a meeting with the Minister, Queensland Rail said they wanted to get rid of guards to cut the costs (can't have all the pointless managers being sacked now, can we?!?), however the Minister was not willing to agree to that, so the Guards have a reprive for now...

Why not thank them for their suggestion and get rid of both?

With no more new trains to come till 2014, and no improvements happening in frequency.
What would they drive?

Only an issue for peak hour.

[petey3801]

however the Minister was not willing to agree to that, so the Guards have a reprive for now...

Get rid of them and retrain them as drivers!

With no more new trains to come till 2014, and no improvements happening in frequency.
What would they drive?

Touche.

[#Metro]

With no more new trains to come till 2014, and no improvements happening in frequency.
What would they drive?

I don't agree with this at all. Why can't they be trained as drivers while they transition from guard duty?
Yes it is a two year gap, but the Ferny Grove line will be done soon and good use can be made of that time with respect to training up. Yes no new trains are coming for a while but there are a lot of idle trains in the yards in the interpeak and much scope for increased frequency on the inner sections of the QR network.

It will be a major failing if, by the end of this term of government, decent all day frequency isn't achieved on the inner section of the network. It will also leave the current government open to being undercut by labor during an election.

[SurfRail]

^ The correct answer is "3 car sets running more frequently in the off-peak".

[Stillwater]

Is this the future?

No guard, no driver...... http://www.prr.org.au/cms/gallery2/?g2_itemId=362

[Fares_Fair]

Always wonderered what those things were called ... if you see any spare one's laying around, I'll grab it !

[BrizCommuter]

The job cuts should start with workers who can't advance to the next slide in powerpoint. 

[somebody]

Huh?

[Gazza]

The job cuts should start with workers who can't advance to the next slide in powerpoint. 

Rofl, joke of the night.

[BrizCommuter]

Huh?

At least 5 others will understand.