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Disruptions to train services are likely to continue for now, but some progress has been achieved in negotiations between Queensland Rail and unions.
A marathon meeting at the Fair Work Commission’s Eagle Street offices wrapped up after 5pm on Friday.
Unions and Queensland Rail were light on detail, but both said discussions had been productive after stalling on Thursday.
The Rail Tram & Bus Union, Services Union and Professionals Australia confirmed they had not committed to pause industrial action, despite a request from the Fair Work Commissioner.
Negotiations were expected to resume on Wednesday.
“We’ve been impressed that Queensland Rail came today to talk, to listen and to actually move,” Sean Kelly from the engineers union said.
“We haven’t seen that in the past … We’re very happy that we’re now part of a process that is moving towards a resolution, not spinning further away.”
Queensland Rail CEO Kat Stapleton said she was frustrated the unions had not agreed to stop industrial action immediately.
“I am personally disappointed … however, we remain committed to the process that the Fair Work Commission has outlined,” she told reporters.
“We will be back here next Wednesday to hammer out a deal because we want to run full services.”
The industrial dispute has been simmering since April 1, when Queensland Rail’s shutdown of passenger services left thousands of commuters stranded.
While the government initially branded it “union sabotage,” a subsequent Fair Work Commission ruling by Deputy President Nicholas Lake found the disruption was “of Queensland Rail’s own making” due to management’s refusal to accept partial work.
There has been extensive pressure to break the deadlock ahead of the NRL’s Magic Round.
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