Industry Action Causes Major Delays For Sydney Commuters

New South Wales train users are experiencing mass disruptions this morning as the rail union continues industrial action over safety concerns of the new intercity fleet.

The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) has warned action will only get worse unless the NSW State Government returns to negotiation the $2.88 billion fleet.

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RTBU also advised trains will also be restricted to travelling 60 kilometres per hour.

Transport for NSW says the action will cause a reduction of up to 50 per cent of peak period services.

Services could be decreased by 75 per cent by Friday when rail workers are expected to refuse to operate the overseas-built trains.

Union Secretary Alex Claassens said disruptions will continue unless the state government agrees to modify the intercity fleet.  

"Safety is the number one priority not only for the union and its members but also for the public," he said.

"We've been arguing that the train is unsafe for the last four years. We had commitments before the last election they were going to fix that, they've now reneged on that.

“This week is bad, but next week will be worse. We are that angry [about the government’s latest offer] that we will keep escalating unless our delegates and members tell us something different.” 

Under the government offer, drivers and guards who agreed to operate the fleet without modifications would receive $6,000 a year, or $18,000 over the term of the three-year agreement.

That would be on top of the government’s offer of a one-off $3,185 payment and a three per cent wage rise in the first year, followed by 3.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent.

More industrial action is expected to continue for the rest of the week.

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