Queensland Rail employees involved in roster disputes given ex-gratia payments

QUEENSLAND Rail employees involved in two rostering stuff ups have been given ex-gratia payments totalling more than $500,000 – a move strongly condemned by the State Opposition, even though some were allegedly made under the Newman Government.

QUEENSLAND Rail employees involved in two rostering stuff ups were given ex-gratia payments totalling more than half a million dollars.

The payments have been slammed by the state Opposition, who has accused the Rail, Tram and Bus Union of having a stranglehold on QR.

The first payment was made in February 2015, after QR was accused of breaching the Queensland Rail Network Enterprise Agreement with roster changes.

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About 100 workers involved in the dispute were each given a payment of $2,500, with the breaches alleged to have occurred during the Newman Government between June 2013 and December 2014.

Another alleged rostering breach in 2016 led to further payments of $2,750 to about 95 civil maintenance employees and $1,200 for another 55 employees – totalling more than $320,000.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander said Transport Minister Mark Bailey was unable to stand up to the RBTU.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk’s gravy train knows no end,” he said.

“Is it any wonder that this rail union wants to keep Queensland Rail a closed shop.”

Transport Minister Mark Bailey pointed out that he was not Transport Minister when the payments were made.

“Tim Mander and the LNP’s disdain for worker’s fair payment for the hours they work is obvious,” he said.

“Most of the payments he’s referred to were made years ago following ordinary industrial negotiations between workers and Queensland Rail.”

It was revealed earlier this year that 1,190 QR employees were also given lump sum payments of $1,250 to work during the Commonwealth Games.

Non train-crew employees were also paid an extra $8 an hour as an “incentive payment”, with the total payout equating to more than $3 million.

Mr Mander said the staff should not be paid extra for simply turning up to work.

“There are many other service people in the Queensland Government – our police officers and our nurses – that are called to go beyond normal duties and they don’t receive these type of bonus payments,” he said.