Train drivers’ wages rise as productivity falls
AS TRAIN drivers’ productivity fell, they were granted a pay rise that far exceeded a key indicator. Now the Treasurer is struggling to explain his involvement.
QLD Politics
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TREASURER Curtis Pitt is under pressure to explain a meeting with the rail unions just weeks before a controversial deal caving in to demands for an “extraordinary” pay rise for train drivers.
Mr Pitt has confirmed the State Government became directly involved in negotiations for a new workplace deal for Queensland Rail train crew, saying it was important the Government had “an early look” at what the bargaining framework would be, as with all agreements.
The Courier-Mail understands the Government intervened to override concerns by QR’s board that union demands for a 12 per cent pay rise over four years were excessive – far outstripping the consumer price index.
A drop in driver productivity of 7 per cent was a key criticism of the commission of inquiry this week into the QR timetable failure.
A spokesman for Mr Pitt last night rejected intervening, saying no legally binding direction had been issued to the board.
An in-principle deal was first struck with unions last October, putting an end to threatened strike action.
It came after a meeting between Mr Pitt (one of two responsible ministers for QR), the Rail Tram & Bus Union and Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees last September.
Mr Pitt said yesterday the meeting had discussed the $4 billion New Generation Rollingstock project, but his office could not rule out that the enterprise agreement was also discussed.
The meeting was held the same month the RTBU was given the go-ahead to ballot train crew on whether to strike over the enterprise agreement – five months after negotiations began.
Further discussions were held amid the timetable crisis, with the board approving a new in-principle agreement on December 13, which included the 12 per cent pay rise.
The commission of inquiry this week found QR’s board had been cut out of the union train crew agreement.
Opposition transport spokesman Andrew Powell said Mr Pitt needed to explain how the board had been cut out.
“There’s a rotten smell about the rail unions’ stranglehold on this Labor Government,” he said.
RTBU state secretary Owen Doogan said he had met with Mr Pitt about the NGR program and had not lobbied about the EBA.
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