Tunnel workers engaged on Melbourne's new Suburban Rail Loop are poised to earn up to $360,000 annually under a groundbreaking union agreement that establishes the highest pay rates in Australia's civil construction sector. This landmark deal will cover 300 tunnellers working on the project's initial phase, known as SRL East, which involves constructing a fully-tunnelled 26-kilometre corridor between Cheltenham and Box Hill.
Record-Breaking Pay Deal for Infrastructure Workers
Negotiated between the Australian Workers Union (AWU) and major construction firms CPB and Acciona, the agreement stipulates that the average tunnel worker will earn approximately $300,000 per year, inclusive of overtime and various allowances. However, with five scheduled four per cent pay increases over the duration of the agreement, total earnings could potentially reach $360,000.
Union Hails Deal as Industry Benchmark
AWU Victoria State Secretary Ronnie Hayden expressed pride in finalising what he described as the highest-paid civil construction agreement in the country. 'This deal sets the benchmark for how major infrastructure projects should treat the workers who build them,' Mr Hayden stated. 'If this project is to be successful then we need to ensure our members, the people building it, receive the compensation they deserve.'
He acknowledged potential criticism, noting, 'Of course, there will be those screaming from the rooftops that only people with a private school education are entitled to get paid big money, but we are used to that.'
Demanding Work Schedule and Project Details
The tunnellers will work an average 56-hour week under a demanding roster system. This involves consecutive days of 12-hour shifts, followed by three days off, and then seven consecutive 12-hour night shifts. The SRL East Project will feature six new stations, including at Monash and Burwood, with additional interchanges planned at Cheltenham, Clayton, Glen Waverley, and Box Hill.
Outstanding Negotiations with Other Contractors
While the deal with CPB and Acciona is secured, the AWU has yet to reach an agreement with WeBuild & Bouygues Construction, who are reportedly refusing to sign on to identical terms and conditions. The union indicates that these principal contractors are holding out on provisions related to travel time and clauses governing the use of subcontractors and labour hire, despite both packages involving identical tunnelling work on the same project.
The first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop is understood to carry a substantial cost of at least $35 billion, underscoring the scale and significance of this major infrastructure initiative for Melbourne's transport network.
