A dedicated commitment to training up the New Zealand rail engineering workforce is the only realistic way of combating the lure of higher wages in Australia that is threatening the industry, the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) said today.

"Australian wages for locomotive engineers are almost double and a recent recruitment drive is now beginning to hit the industry hard here in New Zealand," RMTU General Secretary Wayne Butson said.

"KiwiRail is experiencing locomotive engineer shortages, and the best long-term fix to this is a dedicated training programme to up-skill New Zealand rail workers in related trades, many of whom would welcome the chance to train as a locomotive engineer."

"High unemployment in New Zealand also means that a crown entity like KiwiRail should be looking at home for solutions to job shortages, rather than recruiting locomotive engineers from overseas."

"Overseas recruitment remains a band aid solution, and we will continue to advocate for a ongoing training programme in New Zealand for locomotive engineers," Wayne Butson said.