Sydney Trains strike: Network to close on Friday: what you need to know
Sydney trains will run on Thursday after a small concession from the rail union to postpone strike action until Friday amid an ongoing pay dispute with the government.
A months-long dispute between the NSW government and the state branch of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) escalated on Tuesday when Transport Minister Jo Haylen announced no train services would run for four days.
The railway union has increased work bans and threatened to strike if 24-hour services were not available on those four days.
But early on Wednesday morning, Transport for NSW said it had agreed with the union to provide services on Thursday, a relief for Pearl Jam concertgoers who had had to find alternative transport to Sydney Olympic Park in the evening.
“The union has agreed to operate a regular train service on Thursday, including the planned 86 additional special event services to the Olympic Park for the Pearl Jam concert,” a statement from Transport NSW said.
‘At this stage the RTBU have not agreed to lift the industrial action they have planned for Friday to Sunday.
‘The bans notified by the union will see the heavy rail network closed on Friday, Saturday and until Sunday morning this weekend.
“Sydney Trains and NSW Trains remain committed to finding a solution for our staff this side of Christmas.”
Travelers in Sydney have been given a small reprieve with strike action on trains delayed by a day
Ms Haylen hopes the concession will give the union and government more time to reach an agreement before the weekend.
“It gives us another day to continue our negotiations and hopefully get people where they need to go,” she told Sydney radio 2GB.
‘But industrial action is still planned for Friday and Saturday and we know this will have a huge impact on millions of people who rely on these train services.’
After rejecting a proposal for 24-hour weekend trains, Ms Haylen said it was up to the union to withdraw the work ban.
‘We want to keep our city moving. Nobody wants this. Passengers don’t want this. I don’t want this. The government doesn’t want this,” Ms Haylen said.
“But the only way to keep the trains running and get people where they need to go is if the union lifts its industrial action.”
On a normal day, more than a million people use Sydney’s trains, with the ban also expected to affect intercity services.
Additional bus and other services will be provided, but the closure will put pressure on the capacity of alternative transport.
Jo Haylen hopes the concession will give time to reach an agreement before the weekend. (Jeremy Piper/AAP PHOTOS)
The pay freeze comes after services were operated 24 hours a day last weekend to avoid stop-work bans.
Transport officials said continuing services 24 hours a day from Thursday to Sunday was not sustainable.
The Sydney Metro from Chatswood in the north to Sydenham in the west is also closed for maintenance over the weekend, with Transport for NSW advising commuters to ‘use train services’.
