Becoming a sparky

“The job appealed to me and as stated above, dad thought it was a good idea as well, so I applied for a few apprenticeships and Queensland Rail was the first to offer me a job I did some signals training and work in Brisbane, but mostly in Mackay and qualified as a Signal Electrician Grade 1 in August 1983, I then got my first grade 1 job in Moranbah and then transferred to Bundaberg I enjoyed working outdoors and the fault finding could be challenging We don’t have a lot of backups or spares in the regions, so you must think on your feet to get the results required.”

After 46 years in the railways, Rob will miss the people he worked with the most “I will miss my workmates and seeing the younger ones in our team improving their skills ” According to long term workmate and Bundaberg depot delegate Barry Schmidt, one of Rob’s great passions was passing on his knowledge and skills to younger electricians

Improvements and challenges over 46 years

Back when Rob first started his career, safety was primarily reactive and initiatives like fatigue management were essentially non-existent. The improvement in workplace safety over the years has been a big highlight for Rob and he reckons the massive changes around fatigue management is a huge win for workers “There have been some big improvements to workplace safety since the 80’s when I started,” says Rob “I would have to say fatigue risk management programmes are one of the biggest highlights for me There was virtually zero fatigue management in the early days at QR and now we have some of the best.”

While the headlines around Bjelke Petersen’s attack on workers were often limited to SEQEB and PowerStation workers, in a sign of the times Rob was also caught up in the spiteful premier’s attacks “The SEQEB dispute was a massive dispute for the union, and I can remember we all got suspended and threatened with the sack at the Mackay QR depot if we supported the SEQEB industrial action We needed to stand together and support our fellow members in their industrial action, so we went on strike as well. The suspension lasted a fortnight before it was scrapped, when they realised, they wouldn’t have any one if things went pear shaped ”

Rob’s seen a lot of changes and faced a lot of challenges in his almost half century career with Queensland Rail but some challenges spring to mind for vastly different reasons As a signal electrician, Rob’s job either on his own or in a team is to maintain the integrity of the signalling system from points to signalling at level crossings where the rail infrastructure interfaces with road transport, it also includes fault rectification and battery back-ups

Rob recalls a particularly weird day when he had to maintain his composure when responding to a call out following a level crossing accident that had resulted in a fatality

“It was a very strange feeling seeing this fella and his bike at the side of the road after having collided with a train on a level crossing, from looking at him you couldn’t tell he was dead, he looked like he was asleep The crossing had to be thoroughly tested while the person was still there The number of tests was comprehensive, and I had to be very thorough I then also found myself in the witness box at the Coroners Enquiry. That was another level of stress again, suits and all that, it was nerve racking. But I kept my composure and proved the crossing was working correctly ”

Having an ability to assess situations and work through things methodically and with a level head is something that wife Susanne admires about Rob

“A few years ago, I had a fall in the backyard and cracked my head on the concrete, Rob was very calm and level-headed, called the ambulance and reassured me. He even got a clean tea towel from the kitchen, I thought he might have got a rag from the garage which was closer, but he didn’t ”

During a search for a suitable picture frame for a funny picture about grandkids visiting and the mess they leave behind, Susanne and Rob came across a commendation Rob received back in 2004 for going above and beyond his role

“Yeah, I got a commendation for helping a bloke out at a truck crash, I remember I was en route to a fault, when I came across a truck overturned and on fire with the driver still in it, I assessed the situation and was able to drag him out to safety ” Once again, Rob’s level headedness enabled him to assess and act safely

One of the biggest challenges Rob and his crew faced was rebuilding after the devastation the Bundaberg community suffered at the hands of extropical Cyclone Oswald is 2013 Rob recalls

“Another challenge that was very different from the ones mentioned above due to the enormity of its impact, was the Bundaberg floods in 2013 The devastation in North Bundaberg was unbelievable I can still remember driving into North Bundy on the designated route and seeing all the houses and businesses that were destroyed. That caused a lot of work for us and with the support from other depots which was much appreciated, we were able to rebuild ”

Most memorable union campaign

“The ETU ran Not4Sale campaigns that got rid of Bligh and Newman were highlights for me They were great campaigns by the ETU which got the outcomes we wanted ”

Quick Fire Questions

What does being an ETU member mean to you?

For Rob, being an ETU member has been a very positive experience, he’s proud of the improvements the union has made in safety and conditions “I am glad I joined the union it has been a very positive experience The ETU has done a great job of improving safety and conditions over the years I also always felt the ETU dealt with issues related to our jobs and industry better than other unions.”

Favourite holiday destination

“My sisters cattle farm in Victoria, Birdsville was great and I really enjoyed Norfolk Island as well.”

What’s something your mates wouldn’t know about you?

“Nothing really, what you see is what you get good and bad ”