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Late on Monday, the rail union said it would cease industrial action for at least a month in return for a pay rise above the public sector wages cap, as well as a binding commitment from the government to make modifications to the Korean-built intercity train fleet.
The government is reluctant to increase the wages cap for the rail workers as it juggles claims from across the public sector, including nurses and midwives who will strike for 24 hours on Thursday.
The rail union gave the government 24 hours to respond to its counter offer, which was made a day after the government said it would agree to quickly start work on modifying the new trains if industrial action was halted during negotiations over an enterprise agreement.
Rail Tram and Bus Union state secretary Alex Claassens said rail workers were willing to offer industrial peace for at least a month in return for a deal.
“But we’ve now drawn a line in the sand – the delegates have had enough. We were just totally frustrated by this government inaction,” he said.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW secretary Alex Claassens said rail workers were willing to offer industrial peace for at least a month in return for a deal.Credit:Daniel Munoz
Employee Relations Minister Damien Tudehope said he suspected the action by rail workers and bus drivers had been coordinated to cause maximum disruption for Sydneysiders.
He warned the government was considering taking more radical measures to resolve the dispute.
“We’ve got to examine the whole arsenal of options that might be available to government, whether it’s further applications to the Fair Work Commission to suspend industrial action or an application to terminate the existing employment agreement,” he said.
The government has offered rail workers pay rises of 3 per cent in year one and 3.5 per cent in year two, which is in line with its wage policy for public sector workers.
Sydney’s rail network has been plagued by sporadic disruption for months despite a cavalcade of government ministers tasked with resolving the protracted dispute.
Claassens said the unions had been forced to deal with multiple ministers who were “parading around with different points of view”.
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Perrottet, Tudehope, Transport Minister David Elliott, Regional Transport Minister Sam Farraway, Roads Minister Natalie Ward and Treasurer Matt Kean have at points weighed into the rail dispute in 2022.
Despite several government MPs suggesting the rail union action is linked to the NSW opposition, Perrottet on Tuesday said he believed he was on a “unity ticket” with Labor in its stance on the strikes, which both sides have called to end.
Aside from the cut to frequencies on all rail lines, buses will replace trains on the T3 Bankstown between Lidcombe and Bankstown and the T7 Olympic Park lines on Wednesday. Trains will not operate on the T5 Cumberland line.
Bus commuters in the city’s inner west will also endure a significant cut to services on Wednesday due to a six-hour strike by drivers over pay and conditions.
Members of two unions who drive for private operator Transit Systems in a contract area known as region six will strike from 4am to 7am, and from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Region six covers an area stretching from Rockdale in the south, to Olympic Park, the inner west and parts of the CBD.
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