SEQTA is calling for Queensland Rail, the Queensland Government and rail unions to reach a swift resolution that protects safety, workers and passengers.
The South-East Queensland Transit Association is calling for a swift and constructive end to the ongoing Queensland Rail negotiations, with a clear focus on workplace conditions, safety, public safety and reliable passenger services.
This comes as station staffing changes have now commenced across parts of the South East Queensland rail network. ABC reporting states that from Tuesday 5 May, some stations are no longer staffed after 1 pm and are unstaffed on weekends. Queensland Rail has framed the changes as a revised customer service model and has stated that frontline jobs are secure.
SEQTA welcomes assurances around job security. However, job security is not the only issue. Passengers also need staffed stations, visible assistance and confidence that help will be available when things go wrong. For many passengers, station staff are the difference between a trip being possible and a trip being stressful, unsafe or inaccessible. This is especially true for disabled passengers, older people, young people, tourists and passengers unfamiliar with the network.
Station staff are not just there for ticketing or general questions. They support safety, accessibility, disruption management, customer assistance and emergency response. When staffing hours are reduced, the passenger experience is reduced with it.
SEQTA believes these staffing reductions should be reversed, and that future staffing models should be built around passenger need, not just narrow patronage counts.
At the same time, SEQTA urges Queensland Rail, the Queensland Government and rail unions to continue negotiations in good faith and reach an agreement as soon as possible. Passengers and rail workers should not be pitted against each other. A good rail system needs both. Safe working conditions, proper staffing, reliable operations and accessible stations are all part of the same network. SEQTA believes a strong outcome should protect workplace conditions, support fatigue management and worker wellbeing, maintain public safety and restore confidence in the rail network.
As major rail projects continue across South East Queensland, the basics still matter. Trains need to run. Stations need to be staffed. Passengers need help when they need it. Workers need the conditions to keep the network moving safely.
SEQTA is calling for station staffing hours to be restored and for negotiations to conclude with an outcome that gives confidence to both passengers and workers.
Sources
- ABC News
- Queensland Rail
- RTBU Queensland
