RailCorp review rallies Friends of Redfern

Mr Paul Rea, RailCorp’s media spokesperson said: “The review is part of the continuing consultation with our staff and unions to implement a more flexible station staffing model that is better equipped to deal with customer and operational needs.”

According to a media statement, “88 per cent of customers travel on weekdays during morning and afternoon peaks”, indicating that staff will be taken off day and evening periods and consolidated during peaks.

However, residents believe that more staff are needed to deal with access and security issues at Redfern and fear that the changes will leave the station virtually unattended at times when more vulnerable and less mobile passengers, such as single mothers, the elderly and international students tend to travel.

Mrs Sally Quilter, a retired local resident who cares for her two grandchildren three days a week, said that even without the changes, travelling during the weekday with a pram is a struggle because there are no lifts at Redfern. “I have to take the baby out of the pram while a security guard holds the other end. I’ve got a backpack with all the gear for the two children, the baby in one arm and the 4 year-old. It’s really good access in Redfern!” she said.

Mrs Quilter is also concerned about late night security. “I also enjoy going to concerts in the evening. You are very lucky if there’s the guy who runs the station. It’s a bit eerie. If they do the review my sense is I’m not going to see anyone in uniform,” she said. 

According to Mr Rea, local issues that affect staffing levels at Redfern would be considered. “RailCorp is very conscious of the special needs of some customers,” he said.

John Maher, Deputy President of the Australian Services Union, disputes RailCorp’s claim that there will be no loss of employment as a result of the reviews. “If you read some of the press releases they [RailCorp] have put out, they say they are going to increase customer service [and] are also claiming they are actually increasing staff. Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Mr Maher.

“The document I have here is the proposed staff impact statement for Redfern. At the moment Redfern has an establishment of 73 employees. If RailCorp’s proposal gets up there will be 47 employees plus another six dedicated cleaners. That means 20 less people at this station.”

According to Mr Maher, around 400 jobs face the chop across the network. “They have left vacancies unfilled for some time and the total number of vacancies is around 400, which is about the same as the number of positions being eliminated. They’ve done this so the union can’t campaign on the basis that people will be put out of the job. But at the end of the day, despite all their juggling, there will be 400 fewer people at CityRail stations,” he said.

Photo: Ali Blogg - Geoff Turnbull addresses Friends of Redfern Station

Source: South Sydney Herald August 2009 www.southsydneyherald.com.au