Qld Rail embroiled in fresh allegations of workplace sexism

More employees of Queensland Rail’s management centre have come forward with claims of misogyny and bullying, one calling it the “wild west”.

QR’s rail management centre at Bowen Hills in Brisbane

Two more former Queensland Rail employees have come forward with lurid accounts of misogyny and bullying at the rail management centre at Brisbane’s Bowen Hills.

And a train driver told me he was outraged when a female colleague was discouraged from reporting an assault after she grappled with a guard attempting to touch her breasts.

She refused to allow the assault to be brushed aside, and eventually received a letter of apology from the guard and told by her superiors that was the end of the matter.

A Bowen Hills worker said he quit after he reported bullying that as far as he knew was never investigated.

He previously worked at police headquarters at Roma St for 10 years.

“I worked in police communications, and as you can imagine, that can be a tense environment,” he told me.

“It was not always the most politically correct place. There is always a lot of offensive language, but it is still a relatively professional place.

“Incidents of bullying would be quite low, and people generally treated each other well, most of the time.

“But at the rail management centre (at Bowen Hills), it was just like the wild west. There seemed to be no limit to how badly people could treat each other.’’

He is willing to name names at an inquiry. He has the support of another person who also worked there.

Another Bowen Hills worker told me she left and joined another government department after persistent bullying and sexism.

“It was the most awful work experience of my career,” she said.

She said female staff members “endured a constant stream of vicious, appearance-based put-downs about being fat, old and undesirable”.

Younger, prettier women were given shoulder and neck massages by superiors. The attention was uninvited. The whistleblower said she was stressed out after three years at Bowen Hills. She said it took her “two years of detox” before she stopped getting anxiety attacks. She, too, would give evidence.

The rail management centre at Bowen Hills

Readers came forward with stories of bullying across the public service after this column revealed women at Bowen Hills were awarded points out of 10 for their sexual desirability.

A QR executive who raised the alarm told me he wrote a damning report on the sexism and said it was not properly investigated.

“The women were rated on their sexual desirability,” he told me.

A scorecard rating women from one to 10 was described as a “f--k list”.

The whistleblower said his aim was to change a sexist culture.

The former police communications specialist said his job at Bowen Hills led him into conflict on an almost daily basis.

“My job was not actually controlling the trains but monitoring trains that were coming late and questioning controllers and guards as to why they were running late,” he said.

He had to prepare detailed logbooks to be sent to the Transport Department.

The controllers were reluctant to provide details. “There are many reasons a train runs late, and our job was to investigate it and document it,” he said.

“(That) made us extremely unpopular with the network controllers who control the trains.’’

They feared the reports might reflect poorly on their performance.

“I would sometimes have to walk up to controllers, point to a particular train (on a screen) and ask, why is that train running late?” he said.

“It was a legitimate question for me to ask. That was my job. They would turn around and give me a mouthful.

“I was always so polite in the way I asked, but you would get responses like, ‘Have a look at the f--king screen. What do you think, you f--king idiot! Can’t you see it?’

“I would say, ‘Mate, I just have to clarify this because what I write goes down on reports to government. I can’t assume anything.’ ”

The abuse continued, even though he asked “very politely”.

But he said not everyone was intolerable. Most at the centre were pleasant and diligent. He said staff were reluctant to report bullying and other wrongdoing for fear they themselves would be punished.

“People would lay vexatious complaints about other people,’’ he said, adding that a minor incident would be “blown out of all proportion” and a letter of complaint sent to management.

“This often happened to quite innocent, hardworking people with complaints going back and forth in emails,” he said. “It was a place where there was very little humanity, very poor communication skills, (and) some very combative personalities.”

He said managers seemed reluctant to intervene.

Trains at nearby Bowen Hills station

With no windows, the Bowen Hills control room reminded him of a CIA control centre in a Hollywood film.

He said he complained “very cautiously” to a senior manager.

“I said there are certain people who point-blank refuse to speak to me or are very suspicious when I ask questions,” he said.

“But the manager didn’t seem to care too much. They have this attitude, ‘Oh well, that’s just the way it is out there’.”

He was told: “It’s high pressure and some people are just like that. Don’t take it personally.”

Women were targeted.

“I think the way women were treated in that centre goes well beyond the normal banter of a bunch of red-blooded blokes,’’ he said.

There were comments such as, “You are a good-looking sort. I bet you have a boyfriend.”

Some women had the ability to laugh it off and not get upset.

“In other places I’ve worked, if you didn’t watch your mouth of behaviour, you would be dragged into the big boss’s office and spoken to about it,’’ he said.

He suffered from it for two years before leaving two years ago and hopes things have improved since then. “Bullying should not be swept under the carpet,” he said. “I think an inquiry would be absolutely justified.”

“If it got to the stage … I would definitely come forward.”

Queensland Rail said on Friday it was committed to zero-tolerance of bullying and harassment and was concerned about allegations raised by The Courier-Mail.

“Employees who have bullying concerns are encouraged to come forward,’’ a spokeswoman said.

“Queensland Rail takes all allegations of bullying, harassment, intimidation, or any other behaviour that negatively affects the health and safety of our employees extremely seriously.

“Every complaint of this nature is investigated thoroughly through our complaints process and the relevant action taken.

“In the last three years, there were three complaints classed as bullying or harassment at the Rail Management Centre and the appropriate action was taken.’’

She said QR had implemented several strategies to combat bullying and foster respect in the workplace.

Annastacia Palaszczuk

Mark Bailey

THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Transport Minister Mark Bailey were given a week to answer these questions.

They did not respond before publication.

Ms Palaszczuk: Has the Premier read the QR Engage reports from 2020 and 2022 that found dissatisfaction with QR management, including accusations of bullying by managers?

What action was taken? Have there been any follow-up Engage reports? What did they find?

Mr Bailey: Has the minister read the QR Engage reports from 2020 and 2022 that found dissatisfaction with QR management, including accusations of bullying by managers?

What action was taken?

Have there been any follow-up Engage reports? What did they find?

Mr Bailey: Can you please tell me how many safety breaches were reported in QR in each of the past three years? How many of these involved drivers going through red lights? How many safety breaches were investigated? How many are continuing? How many drivers were stood down? How many drivers were dismissed?

Mr Bailey, Ms Palaszczuk: Are you aware of any allegations of bullying of disabled workers at QR? How many investigations are ongoing?

Originally published as Qld Rail embroiled in fresh allegations of workplace sexism