Rail, Tram and Bus Union northern district organiser Les Moffitt said that company employees recently learnt that the affected positions are four team leaders and two rollingstock repairers. 

Two operational maintainer positions will also be made redundant in Hughenden. Other supervisory and management positions on the North West rail corridor have also been affected, he said. 

“The latest job cuts at Aurizon are a bitter pill for workers who have fought hard to keep the company profitable despite the multiple failings of senior management,” Mr Moffitt said. 

“It is simply infuriating that the executives who blew hundreds of millions of dollars in a patently stupid decision to invest in a Pilbara iron ore mine, just as the iron ore price was going into free-fall, should keep their high paying positions while workers are sacrificed.” 

An Aurizon spokesperson said it was reviewing operations to deliver reliable and competitive services for customers. 

A company proposal affects employees across five states including Queensland and New South Wales. 

“The proposal reviews the number of roles that are required to meet operational demands in these regions, including the service delivery, maintenance, and intermodal operations at the Cloncurry Depot,” the spokesperson said. 

“No final decisions will be made until we have completed the consultation process with employees.”

State Member for Mount Isa Rob Katter blamed the job cuts on the privatisation of Aurizon. 

He said the company had no empathy for the impact the job losses will have on regional communities such as Cloncurry. It would impact the local mining and cattle industries. 

“The Mount Isa to Townsville Rail Line already has an unwanted reputation because of a number of recent derailments which have severely affected producers.”