Sydney train strikes: Rail passengers face mass delays amid industrial action
Sydney commuters are facing major disruptions on Sunday morning with more than 60 trains delayed amid the rail union’s industrial action.
NSW
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Sydneysiders were subjected to massive disruption across the city’s rail network over the weekend as the rail union’s industrial action resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of services, leaving commuters stranded.
More than 580 train services were cancelled on Saturday with more 50 per cent of all services either being late or cancelled.
The Intercity network was also greatly impacted with trains only running at 48 per cent.
Multiple lines were shutdown overnight due to the industrial action. The T6 Bankstown line was shutdown on Saturday evening, with buses deployed to supplement service gaps on the Richmond line after trains were delayed more than 120 minutes from 4pm.
The south coast line was also forced to close from 9.30pm on Saturday and could only reopen before 6am Sunday morning.
The litany of cancellations and delays will continue into the week with more than 65 trains delayed on Sunday morning.
It comes as Sydney’s biggest and most powerful tourism, hospitality and entertainment entities joined forces to save the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks as the Albanese government was urged to intervene in the crippling rail dispute.
The Sunday Telegraph revealed Luna Park had joined Merivale, Ryan’s Hotel Group and Laundy Hotels in demanding the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) cancel rail strikes – which could scupper Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations – with the iconic theme park lodging its own submission in the Fair Work Commission.
It is one of six submissions that have been lodged with the federal court, citing significant economic harm should the rail industrial action force the Minns government to cancel the fireworks over safety concerns at revellers becoming “stuck” in the city.
The legal actions are in addition to a chorus of voices from restaurant and hotel operators to yacht and private boat hire companies across Sydney demanding the union’s bans be lifted to stave off booking cancellations.
While the Minns government lodged the initial Fair Work application, there are calls for the federal government to join the action, given the rail union falls under federal jurisdiction.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told The Sunday Telegraph: “I support the Minns government which is seeking a sensible outcome.
“Disrupting NYE will alienate the public and common sense should prevail.”
A spokesman for Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt said the NSW government was working “intensively” to negotiate a settlement to the dispute.
Coalition workplace relations spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said she had previously threatened to weigh in on a similar port dispute when in government.
“Anthony Albanese has given the unions virtually unrestricted power in Australian workplaces and this appalling threat of a rail strike on New Year’s Eve is a result of his capitulation to his union paymasters,” she said.
“The New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney are an iconic national event and it is unbelievable that the Albanese government has not already intervened in this matter.”
Rail travel was thrown into chaos on Saturday, with families heading to and from Sydney Airport told to expect delays of up to an hour while the rest of the community was told to avoid non-essential travel.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen challenged the union over its claim that its actions would have a “minimal” impact on services, noting that 40 per cent of trains, representing 360 services, had been cancelled or were delayed.
“I’m calling on the union to withdraw their actions to allow families to celebrate this time of the year and provide business with the certainty that they need. This is not a game,” she said.
The right for the Combined Rail Unions to take protected industrial action was affirmed this week after the Federal Court sided with the unions and dismissed an injunction sought by the NSW Government.
“The RTBU’s right to take industrial action does not include, and never has, cancelling trains on New Year’s Eve, as safety for both commuters and public transport workers is always our number one priority,” a RBTU spokeswoman said.
“Sydney Trains and NSW Trains were provided with ample notice periods for all industrial action to allow for them to make alternative arrangements, yet it is clear by today’s delays and cancellations that those arrangements have not been made. Trackwork is also impacting services this weekend.
“The state government is displaying a worrying pattern of ignoring the needs of its crucial workforce, as we see reflected in the ongoing dispute with the Nurses and Midwives union, for example.
“We also refute government claims that it has made substantial offers that have been rejected by the unions. The last meeting the NSW Government had with the CRU and union delegates was in early December.”
Meanwhile, Luna Park CEO John Hughes said the amusement park was pursuing “available legal options” and had filed a submission to the commission to save the theme park’s yearly NYE party. The event was “close to sellout” with a capacity crowd of 6500, he said.
“Luna Park Sydney is pursuing available legal options to ensure that our iconic Harbour Party – with front-row views of the best show in Australia – will be able to be enjoyed by our returning and new guests this New Year’s Eve,” he said.
Bianca Fick, founder and director of the Yacht Society, which offers bespoke yacht charters on New Year’s Eve, said it would be “absolutely devastating” to see Sydney’s fireworks show cancelled.
“It’s the most sought-after evening of the year,” she said.
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