VicRoads staff lash out over merger with Department of Transport
Traffic engineers and other staff have accused the Andrews Government of botching the merger of VicRoads and the Department of Transport, with members of the Professionals Australia union launching industrial action after labelling the department dysfunctional.
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Traffic engineers and other departmental staff have accused the state government of botching the merger of VicRoads and the Department of Transport, with industrial action now under way over a pay dispute.
Members of the Professionals Australia union will stop providing ministerial advice and working overtime from Tuesday as they fight over retaining current wages and conditions.
The union has labelled the department dysfunctional and warned key engineer roles cannot be filled because details of the merger mean staff could lose 15 per cent of their wages if they change roles.
Traffic engineering specialist and Professionals Australia delegate Tim Black said it was time for urgent action.
“The new minister needs to sort this out, and quickly, otherwise the waste and delays will continue to compound,” he said.
“Vacancies since the merger occurred in July 2019 have not been filled and this has led to project overruns and delays, jeopardising community safety.”
Mr Black said union members would escalate their action if the government didn’t provide certainty for workers.
“We are not seeking a rise in our salaries or conditions – we are seeking to protect and maintain what we had before the merger and what is rightfully ours,” he said.
“The organisation is dying a death of a thousand cuts, and this will not be fixed until the underlying causes are addressed.
“You can’t manage a transport system without professional engineers, who expect to be paid a fair wage for their expertise and their efforts.”
Professional Australian Victorian branch deputy director Sean Kelly said changes from the amalgamation had created problems hiring and retaining qualified traffic engineers.
“As part of the $340 million Keeping Melbourne Moving program, the new Minister for Public Transport, Roads & Road Safety, Ben Carroll has announced that the government will hire new traffic engineers despite their inability to fill current roles due to proposed wage cuts for professional positions of up to 15%,” he said.
“Under the leadership of Department of Transport Secretary Paul Younis, professionals have been leaving the department in droves, losing capability and oversight of large contracts during the state’s largest transport infrastructure spend.
“Dozens of highly experienced senior staff have resigned, some have left the industry entirely, some have moved to other agencies where salaries have not been slashed.”
John Bullen, a union delegate and project manager at Major Road Projects Victoria. said it was unfortunate that the transition had been mismanaged.
“I was treated fairly and with respect when we moved to Major Road Projects Victoria,” he said.
“I have watched in horror as they bungle this transition to the DoT.”
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