Wednesday July 11, 2012

THE bid by the QR National Hughenden workers to keep the local maintenance depot open has been successful, with QR National’s month-long decision making process ending this week.

The announcement was made yesterday afternoon during a meeting with all Queensland Rail Hughenden staff.

QR National told employees at the start of June that they would look at reducing operating costs at QR sites in Queensland and Western Australia to improve their competitiveness and efficiency, with up to 500 jobs under threat across the business.

The restructure was to have created numerous job losses, with QR National Hughenden home to almost 100 local rail-related jobs.

QR National Hughenden management was included in negotiations at a meeting on Thursday June 14, with outcomes originally to be decided by June 22. However, the consultation period was extended.

Flinders Shire Council Deputy Mayor Ninian Stewart Moore praised QR National for the decision, which has saved disruption to local families and businesses.

``QR National did listen to the local workers during their consultation process,’’ he said.

``Local workers were able to present an excellent well structured business case that provides a bright future for Hughenden.

``There will be some minor restructuring and possible role changes but no major job losses.’’

Changes being proposed included rationalising support services, removing management layers, consolidating operations to better match capacity with demand and outsourcing non-core business activities.

Hughenden representatives argued that the local depot was geographically central to depots at Stuart, Cloncurry and Longreach and was the half-way train crew change point.

Hughenden is also the main refuelling point on the north-west corridor refuelling all east and west bound trains and there is the ability and infrastructure at this depot to carry out both preventative maintenance and routine maintenance to the wagons with a proven low cost and downtime to the business.

For more information contact Flinders Shire Deputy Mayor Ninian Stewart-Moore on 4741 1516 on 0414311516.