Sydney commuters warned to expect train delays after rail workers strike overnight
Commuters are still facing major disruptions across Sydney after a strike shut down the city’s entire rail network for eight hours.
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Commuters across Sydney are being warned of major delays on Tuesday morning after rail workers walked off the job overnight.
The Sydney Trains network was completely shut down from 8pm Monday to 4am Tuesday during the mass strike as the Rail, Bus and Tram Union took industrial action and vehicles were completely unmanned for eight hours.
Disruptions began from 3pm Monday with thousands of express services cancelled, and ramped up at 6pm when most other services became less frequent.
While the industrial action was set to finish at 4am, commuters are being urged to avoid using the network on Tuesday morning.
Road users have also been warned to expect heavier than usual traffic.
“You should consider driving where possible, working flexibly, using alternative transport modes including regular metro, buses or ferries services,” Transport for NSW said in a statement.
“Be aware that taxis and rideshare are also expected to be in high demand.”
The union is pushing for negotiations to a new enterprise agreement with Transport for NSW.
The strike comes a week after workers refused to drive foreign-made trains, which make up the majority of the network’s rail fleet.
Foreign-made vehicles make up 75 per cent of Sydney’s rail services, which came to a halt last Tuesday.
It resulted in the T3 Bankstown service bearing the biggest brunt of the changes and Blue Mountains and Central Coast running on a weekend timetable.
Transport for NSW has revealed workers had been offered a new enterprise agreement including a 2.5 per cent pay rise, but the union is pushing for a 3.5 per cent rise.
RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens said the strike was triggered by the NSW government’s “shocking handling of transport”.
“Rather than moving forward and addressing the obvious failings, the Perrottet government is insisting on pushing back against workers’ basic safety needs,” he said.
“We want basic hygiene, safety and privatisation commitments and we simply can’t let the NSW Government get away with no delivering them.”
Adding to commuters’ woes is the shut down of two major lines over Christmas due to maintenance.
Essential upgrades are being blamed for interruptions to the T3 Bankstown Line and the T4 Illawarra Line over the coming weeks.
For Sydneysiders using the Bankstown line, trains will cease to run between Central and Birrong from Boxing Day to January 9.
Slightly less disruptions are expected for those on the Illawarra Line with Central to Sydenham stops unavailable from December 26 to 28.
Train users will be able to jump on replacement buses for the duration of the works.
Originally published as Sydney commuters warned to expect train delays after rail workers strike overnight