Positive employee vote paves way for a more “modern” working environment
A long and complex period of enterprise bargaining has ended at rail operator Aurizon Queensland, with a third enterprise agreement winning employee approval.
Over three quarters of the company’s 1250 affected staff approved the proposed Queensland Train Crew and Transport Operations enterprise agreement during a vote last week.
It is the third, and final, agreement that the company had hoped to negotiate. Together, they cover around 5000 employees in Queensland.
Each is now subject to the approval of the Fair Work Commission.
Aurizon’s vice president of HR John Stephens says the agreements will pave the way for further workplace reform and improvements to productivity.
“This is the catalyst for significant productivity enhancements and workplace flexibility in order to deliver for our customers and sustain and grow our business,” he says.
Under each of the enterprise agreements, staff are entitled to a four per cent pay increase each year. In return, they have agreed to accept greater rostering flexibility and the removal of provisions that had been in place since before Aurizon was privatised.
These include the controversial “no forced redundancy” rules and the widespread availability of limitless rail passes for all employees.
The agreements will take effect one week after FWC sign-off, and will each last for three years.