Rail union forced to take unprecedented action as QUBE puts lives, safety of workers and commuters at risk

Media release, 31 July 2023: The union representing rail workers has been forced to take unprecedented legal action against rail company, QUBE, saying the company’s actions during a current industrial dispute are putting lives and safety of workers and the public at significant risk.

It is believed the union application against an employer during protected industrial action is the first of its kind.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Locomotive Division Secretary, Farren Campbell, said that as part of a current industrial dispute over a new enterprise agreement, QUBE has locked out its workforce and is now undertaking incredibly dangerous actions in an attempt to keep its operations moving.

The RTBU is urging the Fair Work Commission to immediately step in and force the company to cease its dangerous actions which include shirking rail safety regulations and encouraging workers  to operate trains they’re not qualified to drive.

QUBE’s operations interact with the busy Sydney and NSW Trains passenger network. The RTBU has also called on the NSW Government and Sydney Trains to assist.

“We believe that QUBE is putting safety and potentially lives at significant risk, so we’ve been left with no choice but to take this unprecedented action,” Mr Campbell said.

“It’s highly unusual for a union to be forced to take this kind of action. In fact, it may well be the first time in Australia that it’s happened, but we don’t have any other option. We can’t let this continue because lives are at real risk.

“Workers are operating trains they’re not qualified to operate, safety regulations are being shirked and that’s just what we know about. QUBE’s operations interact with the busy Sydney and NSW Trains passenger network so we’re talking about the safety of workers and the travelling public.

“We’ve seen catastrophic events in the past as a result of safety breaches like the ones we’re seeing from QUBE. The risk is real and not something anyone should be taking lightly.”

Mr Campbell said the current dispute over a new enterprise agreement is in large part an attempt by QUBE to weasel out of the massive wage theft case.  

“QUBE management are clearly worried about getting found out for underpaying its workers and now they’ve got to the point where they’re willing to put safety at risk in order to protect its shareholders’ money.

“This is a classic case of a company worrying more about its bottom line than about lives and safety.

“We need someone, whether it’s the Fair Work Commission or NSW Government, to urgently step in and put a stop to this. We’re seriously concerned that unless something is done,  people are get to get seriously injured or worse.

The union has lodged a s424 with the Fair Work Commission which asks to Commission to make an order suspending or terminating protected industrial action that is being engaged in or is threatened, impending or probable, if satisfied that the protected industrial action has threatened, is threatening or would threaten:

• to endanger the life, the personal safety or health, or the welfare, of the population or a part of it, or
• to cause significant damage to the Australian economy or an important part of it.