Brisbane motorists are being told to brace for potential traffic delays today as hundreds of transport engineers walk off the job over a pay dispute with the state government.
More than 400 engineers and technicians from the Department of Transport and Main Roads went on strike from 6am today and are preparing to rally outside the department’s CBD offices from 10am.
TMR employees respond to road crashes and traffic light faults.
Transport engineers have walked off the job this morning.
The Professionals Australia union said the strike would impact maintenance and emergency works, as well as major infrastructure projects.
The union is seeking wage increases between 19 and 23.5 per cent for roadway engineers and technical professionals, saying other workers in the department and on the same government projects are paid up to 20 per cent more.
It joins a growing list of disgruntled unions involved in pay disputes with the Crisafulli government.
State school teachers are striking on Wednesday, while nurses and midwives took industrial action in June. Firefighters are due to vote on a course of strike action this week.
Last week, Premier David Crisafulli spruiked an in-principle wage agreement with police officers.
Professionals Australia Queensland branch director Sean Kelly said members were “committed to their work and their communities, but they will not stand by while being underpaid”.
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