Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey has shrugged off accusations rail workers and their management are at loggerheads.

September 30, 2018

The Queensland government has shrugged off claims a wall has developed between rail workers and their management after the Fair Work Commission headed off possible industrial action hours before the Riverfire celebration.

At a press conference on Sunday, Transport Minister Mark Bailey brushed aside accusations that a large number of train drivers taking “sickies” amounted to covert union action.

Mr Bailey said Saturday’s fireworks display, coupled with the long weekend and two grand finals, was one of the most stressful days of the year for the rail network but it had coped.

“All staff that were required were on duty and all services were provided,” he told reporters on Sunday.

The minister said the Queensland rail was improving gradually following neglect by the Liberal National Party. 

“(We’re still) recovering the system from the botch-ups of the LNP … what we need is everybody to be working positively and together.”

The system has stabilised with 101 new train drivers, on-time running above 95 per cent for the past year, a fall in overtime rates and an increase in the number of commuters using the network, he said.

Mr Bailey slammed the LNP for slowing driver training, sacking more than 1500 workers and ordering half-price trains that were still being repaired when they were in power.

And, he rejected assertions the report painted a picture of a service weighed down by significant issues.

“That report is already three months out of date, so we’re seeing a lot of those statistics superseded,” he said.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said fast and sustained change would be implemented at Queensland Rail by management and rail workers working together.

“It was this government that challenged elements of the EBA with the union and the commission from external recruitment to what we currently saw this weekend, which was ensuring train drivers were not engaged in any unauthorised activity,” she said.

Ms Trad said working with both the union and the rail workforce was the best way to ensure all the changes recommended in the Strachan report.