The Rail Tram and Bus Union, along with other unions, are asking the Fair Work Commission to green light the balloting of members about a possible strike.

If approved, industrial action could kick off about mid-December.

RTBU state secretary Owen Doogan said the removal of train controllers from the network would impact rail operations from Cairns to the southern border. He said workers were potentially prepared to strike for a lengthy period of time.

“It could take weeks or months – we’ll just continue with the action for as long as it takes,” Mr Doogan said.

He said Queensland Rail needed to “get serious” about addressing the concerns workers had over “insecure employment, where contracting out, labour hire and casual employment is becoming a free-for-all”.

The union also says most Queensland Rail workers have not been given a pay rise since 2013 because of a “pay freeze”.

A continuous strike is not anticipated, with 24 or 48-hour strikes more likely.

New Year’s Eve revellers, however, could be saved from disrupted services.

“There are safety issues that we’ll take into consideration and I’d be concerned about young people on that particular day of the year,” Mr Doogan said.

Industrial Relations Minister Curtis Pitt said yesterday Queensland Rail had been “bargaining in good faith”.

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