Article: QR staff fired after passenger attacks

[Golliwog]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/qr-staff-fired-after-passenger-attacks/story-e6freon6-1225865206244

QR staff fired after passenger attacks
James OLoan From: The Courier-Mail
May 11, 2010 11:00PM

TWO QR staff have been dismissed for allegedly unprovoked attacks on rail passengers.
There have been two separate incidents over the past year where workers have "snapped" when dealing with allegedly difficult passengers.

But the Rail Tram and Bus Union said neither worker was a member and was in no way representative of about 2000 staff who did the right thing.

QR stood by its decision to sack the offenders and also commended the workers who serve southeast Queensland's under-pressure network, which carries 170,000 passengers a day.

Assaults on Citytrain platforms alone rose 5.6 per cent to 245 last financial year, but police are yet to release figures for this financial year to date.

Authorities admitted levels of violence were similar to last year and posed a constant threat across the network. QR last week would not confirm details of the two allegedly unprovoked attacks, citing privacy laws.

But it is understood one occurred at Northgate last April when a transit officer allegedly grabbed a passenger by the shirt for spitting near the tracks, then punched the passenger as the situation escalated.

The other incident occurred last November when a transit officer allegedly instigated a confrontation with a customer of the Citytrain network.

"The problem is human nature says, 'get involved (in a confrontation')," RBTU state president Bruce Mackie said. "But a smart person, and QR, says, 'don't get involved'.

"This example only reiterates the fact QR staff's role is not to intervene in social disturbances, not to put themselves in danger and to report the matter immediately to police."

[p858snake]

This article describes both parties as transit officers... aren't they employed under Translink and not QR?

[longboi]

Nope, TOs are employed by QR although this will be changing by the end of the year.