Article: Future on track for workshops (Redbank)

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From the Queensland Times click [img=http://www.qt.com.au/story/2012/07/20/future-on-track-for-workshops/]http://here![/img]

Future on track for workshops

Future on track for workshops

20th July 2012 2:00 AM

QR NATIONAL has promised a long future for its Redbank workshops, despite planning job cuts.

The company has dubbed the Redbank site "critical" to its future operations, even with expressions of interest for voluntary redundancies opening yesterday.

A QR National spokesperson told The Queensland Times the facility, which currently employs around 700 people, remains in its long-term plans.

"Redbank workshops will continue to be a key rollingstock maintenance facility for the company and play a critical role in the future growth of our business," he said.

However the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) remains concerned about the future of the Redbank workshop after QR National laid off 175 people at Redbank last year.

AMWU State organiser Steve Franklin said he was concerned QR National was moving away from its maintenance facilities such as Redbank.

"I've been concerned about Redbank since the split of QR and QR National," he said.

"While they're (QR National) saying maintenance is an important part of their business they're focusing more on their core business which is moving coal to the coast.

"This is a big concern for our union and there have been concerns from a lot of other unions across the state."

The QR National spokesperson said while the company wouldn't rule out compulsory redundancies in the future most Redbank employees were safe from that possibility.

"No final decisions have been made (on compulsory redundancies.)

"It should be noted that the majority of permanent QR National employees at Redbank are covered by a 'no forced redundancy' provision in their enterprise agreements.

"Those employees are able to express an interest in voluntary redundancies."

The QR National spokesperson said timeframes for voluntary redundancies at Redbank had not beeen decided.

"The timeframes for making decisions at various sites and workgroups across QR National will depend on the feedback received from employees and unions during the consultation period.

"We expect the majority of decisions will be communicated to employees in the near future, including at the Redbank facility."