NSW rail union fight to continue in 2025 after Chris Minns rejects Boxing Day negotiations
An icy Christmas truce between the Minns Government and the rail union is unlikely to last long, with the Premier rejecting calls for negotiations recommencing as soon as Boxing Day.
NSW
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Discussions over a pay deal between the rail union and the Minns Government will reignite in the New Year, with Premier Chris Minns rejecting calls to restart negotiations as soon as Boxing Day.
Despite avoiding a New Year’s Eve calamity with the union dropping a range of proposed industrial actions on Christmas Eve, the fight is set to restart in the coming days.
Mr Minns, talking on Christmas Day, appeared to rebuff chances of discussions starting as soon as Boxing Day, saying “industrial disputes can wait for a few days”.
“Christmas is the time for goodwill and Christmas cheer, so we’re not going to talk about that kind of politics today, other than to say that everyone will get back to work as soon as we can,” he said.
“Right now, we’re focused on the community, and politics and industrial disputes can wait for a couple of days.”
While he welcomed the union dropping their action which threatened New Year’s Eve celebrations in the city, including the fireworks, he said the truce between the parties was only temporary.
“I’m very grateful that we didn’t have industrial disputes during Christmas and New Year’s, but the job’s not over,” he said.
“We’ll get around to it, but right now, on Christmas Day, I hope people can spend time with their family and friends, regardless of which side of the rail dispute they were on.”
It follows NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) secretary Toby Warnes on Christmas Eve calling on the NSW Government to restart pay and work negotiations as soon as Boxing Day.
That came after the union dropped a range of proposed actions, including a ban on members working in temperatures over 30 degrees and restrictions on how many kilometres workers could travel, ahead of a hearing at the Fair Work Commission on Christmas Eve.
It followed repeated warnings from the Premier and senior police that Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks could be cancelled if hundreds of thousands of expected travellers couldn’t enter and leave the city safely on the rail network, which would have been hobbled if the union followed through on their pledged actions.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighed in on the issue on Christmas Eve following news the union had dropped the raft of industrial actions, revealing he had spoken to Mr Minns on Saturday.
“(This is) an important economic time as well, that those fireworks in Sydney get shown right around the world. And it’s a big ad – come to Australia,” Mr Albanese said on Christmas Eve.
“And the idea that would be disrupted would be extremely counter-productive, and it’s good that it won’t be.”
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