Cairns waste facility workers in limbo following blaze

A union representing workers at a Cairns waste facility is urging operators to start payout negotiations with several plant and machinery officers having been stood down recently.

Cairns Regional Council's Portsmith transfer station was closed to the public following a large fire at the facility's Bedminster Advanced Resource Recovery Facility on January 23. The fire site has largely been cleared, but future of the facility is unclear. Picture: Brendan Radke

A union representing workers at a Cairns waste facility is urging operators to start payout negotiations with several plant and machinery workers having been stood down recently.

At least five employees at the Bedminster Advanced Resource and Recovery Facility (ARRF) have been relieved of their duties since a fire destroyed the centre last month, leaving workers’ jobs in limbo.

The facility, which employed around 30-40 workers prior to the blaze, is operated and maintained by utilities company Veolia on Cairns Regional Council land.

The massive fire at Portsmith Transfer Station broke out late last month.

But with the future of the waste centre in doubt, Transport Workers Union (TWU) organiser Craig Hards said employees needed to present a plan about the facility’s future direction.

“It’s time for Veolia to come to the table and discuss with the TWU and its members what path they will take,” Mr Hards said.

“Decisions need to be made sooner rather than later on whether these workers will be made redundant or not.

“Some of them have been stood down for a week now, using their own leave entitlements.”

No workers had been made redundant yet, a Veolia spokesman said.

“Our focus is on the emergency response stage of this incident, ensuring continuation of services and safety. Once we have completed this phase we will work with the (Cairns) council decide the way forward while maintaining continuity of services to the community,” he said.

The fire, which started around 8pm on Thursday, January 23, caused the building roof structure to collapse, preventing fire crews to safely access some areas, which smouldered for more than a week before being fully extinguished.

The Portsmith Transfer Station and Buy Back Shop reopened on February 6.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Should workers be made redundant, the TWU has requested that the initial process be voluntary.

Originally published as Cairns waste facility workers in limbo following blaze