Rail staff offered new deal

IPSWICH QR National staff will receive a pay increase and have employment guarantees extended after privatisation, after 13 workplace agreements were passed yesterday.

Bosses from QR National – the rail freight company that was previously a part of Queensland Rail – said the agreements were an important milestone before the company is privatised.

The changes will affect the 700-plus workers at Redbank’s Rollingstock and Component Services (RACS) workshop.

The agreements, which include a one-off payment of $4000 instead of a previous share offer, were first given to workers for consideration on July 28.

Workers then had a week to review the proposals before a week-long ballot was conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission from August 5.

QR National managing director and CEO Lance Hockridge said the 13 different agreements had received support from employees.

“The 13 enterprise agreements provide our people with security and certainty on the terms and conditions of their employment leading up to the float of the company and beyond,” Mr Hockridge said.

“These agreements also provide certainty for potential investors in QR National by cementing the industrial framework within which the company will operate for the next three years.”

The offers have been agreed to by QR National, unions and bargaining agents and explained to staff in information sessions before the vote.

Eligible employees will receive $1000 in shares in QR National, as previously announced separately to the enterprise agreements, and they will also continue to receive 14 weeks paid maternity leave.

The 13 agreements covering QR National staff in Queensland will now be provided to Fair Work Australia for approval. Once approved they will run through to December 31, 2013.

QR Network was split from Queensland Rail on July 1 and will be floated later this year under the Government’s privatisation plan.

Mr Hockridge said the Government had indicated the initial public offer on the Australian Securities Exchange is still on track for the last quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, a multi-billion-dollar offer made by a consortium of the state’s largest coal businesses to buy the rail lines is still under consideration. A decision on the alternative to the Government’s float is expected within weeks.