TASRAIL is set to cut 14 train drivers and rail officers because of stalled mine projects in the state’s North-West.
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The government-owned rail business confirmed it had a surplus of nine drivers and five operators after customers Shree Minerals and Copper Mines Tasmania suspended mining operations, while Venture Minerals also failed to start its Riley Mine project.
The company said yesterday that it had originally identified 18 positions for cuts, with three drivers taking a voluntary redundancy and one resigning in the past three weeks.
Tasmania Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union secretary Samantha Simonetis said worker morale was low. ‘‘We’re going to lose a lot of very skilled people, some that have been there 20-30 years, some young people with families,’’ she said.
‘‘If they want work, it’s likely they’ll have to leave the state.’’
A TasRail spokeswoman said the application period for voluntary redundancy had been extended, while the company would investigate opportunities for job-share arrangements and redeployment.
The job cuts continue a tumultuous period for TasRail, with a company-wide restructure already seeing 20 employees made redundant in 2014.
It was also confirmed yesterday that the business was investigating an internal leak of private information – believed to be salary details of a senior manager.
Ms Simonetis said she had been passed an invoice that showed a senior TasRail employee was paid about $2000 a day for the 12 months between July 2013 and July 2014.
TasRail said privacy laws prevented it from commenting on specific employees, but it did confirm that it was investigating a breach of company policy related to unauthorised disclosure of information.